
El Sporting gana la Champions y acaba con la hegemonĂa del Palma
El Sporting se consagra campeĂłn de la Champions de FĂștbol Sala tras vencer 2-0 al Palma, poniendo fin a su hegemonĂa en Illes Balears.
Sorana Cirstea defeated Aryna Sabalenka at the Italian Open, prompting discussions about her future. Cirstea plans to retire after the 2026 season but is now close to breaking into the top 20 rankings at age 36.
Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty Images
Sorana Cirstea has some thinking to do after getting the better of Aryna Sabalenka at the Italian Open.
Cirstea, who has been part of the WTA Tour since 2006, announced in December that 2026 would be her last year on tour.
Back in July, she was ranked outside the top 160. Now, after picking up her fourth WTA title and defeating Sabalenka, sheâs nearing a top-20 debut at age 36.
After joking about a possible comeback following her win over Sabalenka, Cirstea has now addressed comments from Sabalenka suggesting she should seriously think about it.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
After the match, Sabalenka told reporters that she thought Cirstea should stick around a bit longer.
When those remarks were put to her during her own media duties, Cirstea didnât rule out the idea, saying thereâs always a chance.
âYeah, of course this is the question that Iâm getting every week (smiling),â said Cirstea. âAt the moment not much is changing. Of course, itâs a wonderful victory, but itâs still a third round. I have to keep going.
âI know the level is there. I know my mind is here and Iâm enjoying everything. Like I said, I have so many goals. Every time I step on the court I want to improve.
âIn the same time my mind is quite set that at the end of the year, I want to retire. We will see how this year will go.
âLike a little door is there always open because you never know how things go in life. You always plan things, but then it doesnât always happen like you plan. We will see what life has to offer for me.â
Sorana Cirstea confirmed her intention to retire after the 2026 season despite her recent success.
After defeating Aryna Sabalenka, Cirstea is nearing a top-20 debut, improving significantly from a ranking outside the top 160.
Sorana Cirstea is 36 years old and has been part of the WTA Tour since 2006.

El Sporting se consagra campeĂłn de la Champions de FĂștbol Sala tras vencer 2-0 al Palma, poniendo fin a su hegemonĂa en Illes Balears.

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Cirstea has already matched her best result at the Italian Open by reaching the fourth round, and she will now look to keep her momentum going.
Linda Noskova stands between Cirstea and her first-ever quarter-final appearance in Rome. Theyâve already met three times this season, making this a familiar matchup.
Cirstea leads their 2024 meetings 2-1, but overall, the head-to-head is even at two wins each.
This will also be the first time they face each other on clay, with all their previous meetings taking place on hard courts.
Noskova had a slow start to 2024 but is coming off an impressive run to the quarterfinals in Madrid. Sheâs already taken out Katerina Siniakova and Sloane Stephens earlier in Rome, so Cirstea will have to be at her best again.
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