TENNIS: Cirstea beats Wang to reach first French Open quarter-final in 17 years

Sorana Cirstea defeated Wang Xinyu in straight sets to reach the French Open quarter-finals, becoming a Grand Slam quarter-finalist for only the third time in her career. The 36-year-old Romanian continues an impressive final season highlighted by strong clay-court form and a return to the sport’s elite ranks.

Reuters

May 31, 2026

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 31, 2026 Romania's Sorana Cirstea celebrates winning her fourth round match against China's Wang Xiyu

Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters

Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea beat China's Wang Xinyu 6-3 7-6(4) at the French Open on Sunday to advance to the quarter-final of a Grand Slam for just the third time in her career.

Cirstea reached her first Roland Garros quarter-final in 17 years.
She is retiring at the end of the season but is in the form of her life after she became the oldest player to break into the top 20 earlier this month.
The 36-year-old reached two semi-finals during the clay court swing and beat world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in Rome.
She also became the oldest player in the Open Era to claim a 6-0 6-0 win in a Grand Slam main draw in a third-round victory over Solana Sierra.
Cirstea dominated the opening set, breaking twice to surge into a 5-1 lead.
Wang fought back from 5-2 down to force a tiebreak where Cirstea found a second wind to win in 84 minutes.

-Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Bernadette Baum/Reuters