Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open preparations took a worrying turn on Saturday after the world No. 1 limped out of the Italian Open with injury concerns following a dramatic third-round collapse against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in Rome.
Less than two weeks before Roland Garros begins, Aryna Sabalenka looked far from the dominant force that bulldozed through the hard-court season earlier this year, fading physically and mentally in a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat after appearing firmly in control.
Sabalenka raced through the opening set with trademark aggression, overpowering Cirstea from the baseline and dictating rallies with ease. But the momentum shifted sharply as her movement slowed and frustration mounted during a scrappy second set in which unforced errors crept into nearly every aspect of her game.
The Belarusian required treatment late in the match and later admitted her body had limited her ability to compete at full intensity, raising immediate concerns ahead of the French Open, which starts on May 24.
“I feel like I didn’t play well from the beginning till the end,” Sabalenka said. “I started really well, but then I dropped the level. I felt like my body was limiting me from performing at the highest level.”
Sabalenka revealed the discomfort stemmed from her lower back and hip, a troubling issue on clay where long rallies and physical endurance are essential.
The four-time Grand Slam champion arrived in Rome hoping to rediscover rhythm and confidence on clay after an uneven stretch that included a quarterfinal defeat to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid. Instead, her Italian Open campaign ended with more uncertainty than momentum.
Last season’s French Open runner-up, beaten in the final by Coco Gauff, had been expected to arrive in Paris as one of the leading favourites. Now, questions surround both her fitness and recent form after suffering two defeats in her last three matches.
The loss also snapped one of the most consistent runs of Sabalenka’s career. She had not exited a tournament before the round of 16 since the Qatar Open in February 2025.
That slump on clay stands in stark contrast to her blistering hard-court campaign earlier this season. Sabalenka lifted trophies in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami while also reaching the Australian Open final, reinforcing her status as the dominant player on tour.
Yet Rome exposed vulnerabilities rarely seen from the world No. 1. Her usually explosive serve lost bite, her movement became restricted and her confidence visibly faded as Cirstea sensed an opening.
To Cirstea’s credit, the Romanian produced one of the finest wins of her career. After surviving the early onslaught, she attacked Sabalenka’s weaker second serve and forced the top seed into uncomfortable defensive exchanges. The victory marked the first time Cirstea had defeated a reigning world No. 1 and earned her a fourth-round clash with Linda Noskova.
Sabalenka attempted to remain optimistic despite the setback.
“We never lose, we only learn,” she said. “We’re going to spend the next few days on recovery.”
Elsewhere in Rome, defending champion Jasmine Paolini also crashed out after wasting three match points in a painful 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 defeat to Elise Mertens. Gauff, meanwhile, survived a stern test from Argentina’s Solana Sierra to advance 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.
While Sabalenka struggled, Jannik Sinner continued to surge through the men’s draw with ruthless efficiency.
The Italian star brushed aside Austria’s Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4 to extend his winning streak to 24 matches and strengthen hopes of ending Italy’s 50-year wait for a men’s champion in Rome.
