Tennis: two weeks before Roland-Garros, world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka eliminated in the third round of the WTA 1000 in Rome

Aryna Sabalenka cannot find her feet on clay. Already out in the quarter-finals in Madrid against the American Hailey Baptiste, the world number 1 was this time eliminated in the third round of the WTA 1000 in Rome, the last important meeting before Roland-Garros (from May 24 to June 7), Saturday 9 May, against the Romanian Sorana Cirstea, 27th player in the world (2-6, 6-3, 7-5).

Largely dominant in the first round, as expected, then making the entry break in the second, the Belarusian then suddenly gave in. Visibly hampered by pain in a hip, which forced her to call on the tournament’s medical support during the third round, she finally gave up the second and third sets.

This is only his third defeat of the season, but the second on earth after an almost perfect start to the year with a final at the Australian Open and titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami. Arriving in the quarterfinals in Rome last year after winning in Madrid, the outgoing Roland-Garros finalist will not approach the French Open this time with the same confidence.