The first WTA 1000 tournament begins on the slag of the year »Three Romanians on the main table in Madrid, the champion takes almost a million euros

Ashley Davis21/04/2025

0 199 3 minutes read

Article by Luminița Paul – published Monday, April 21, 2025, 12:27 / Updated Monday, April 21, 2025 12:28

Jaqueline Cristian (66 WTA), Irina Begu (74 WTA) and Sorana Cîrstea (119 WTA) are on the main grid of Mutua Madrid Open, the slag tour with total prizes of 7.854 million euros.

The first WTA 1000 category contest of the year, the one in Madrid, starts on Tuesday, April 22, with the duels on the main panel. There are also three Romanians, who can join two others, who participate in qualifications.

Jaqueline Cristian (26 years old), occupying the 66th world position and the best positioned tricolor in the WTA standings, will face the British Sonay Kartal (23 years, 59th place).

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 »was the fan of the team with the hottest gallery in the world

The two have faced twice so far, each time on the hard, dividing their victories. The Romanian was imposed in 2022 in the ITF tournament in Le Neubourg, with prizes of $ 80,000, in round 1, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, and Kartal was revealed in 2024 in the WTA 250 competition from Monastir, also in Round, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Jaqueline Cristian, Tour 3 Last year in Madrid

Jaqueline played only two matches on the slag in 2025, the ones from Rouen, Indoor, where she arrived in the round. There she was defeated clearly, surprising by the French debutant Rakotomanga Rajaonah (17 years), 6-2, 6-3.

Sonay Kartal also played at Rouen, where she was a favorite, giving in to round 1 in front of the French Varvara Gracheva.

In Madrid, Jaq participated three times, two on the main table, last year succeeding the best result. Coming from qualifications, he arrived in the third round with victories at Magdalena Frech (Poland) and the future champion in Wimbledon, Barbora Krejcikova in the Czech Republic.. He lost in front of the American Danielle Collins, in a very good shape at the time.

Irina Begu, three “quarters” in the Madrid track record

Irina Begu (34 years old), in the 74th WTA position, will meet Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina (28 years old), 65th place.

The Romanian played a single match on the slag, the green, American, in the WTA 500 tournament this season. He lost the dispute with Polina Kudemetova from Russia, 3-6, 4-6.

Kalinina also played in Charleston, leaving the painting in round 1, defeated by Caty McNly in the US. Then he arrived in round 2 in Rouen, giving in front of the compatriot Elina Svitolina, the one who won the trophy.

The first WTA 1000 tournament begins on the slag of the year »Three Romanians on the main table in Madrid, the champion takes almost a million euros

Irina Begu in action at Madrid 2024 Photo: Imago

In Madrid, Irina Begu has a long and honorable history. He reached three times the quarterfinals in 11 participations: in 2015 he lost to Petra Kvitova, the world number 4 at that time, in 2016 he defeated Simona Halep, Favorita 6, who would win the title, and in 2023 he gave in front of Maria Sakkari, the series 9. Last year he advanced until the second round.

Sorana Cîrstea, the 14th presence in Madrid

Sorana Cîrstea (34 years old), 119th WTA, entered the main panel with the ranking protected after the medical problem last year, when she underwent an operation after the break -up of the plantar fascia.

She will meet in the first duel the American player Hailey Baptiste (23 years old, the world number 86), a beneficiary of a Wild Card. The two have not faced before.

Sorana had been registered last week in the WTA 125 tournament in Oiiras, but withdrew before the first match.

In the Madrid tournament, Cîrstea participated 13 times, the first time in 2009. The best result of the Romanian is the reach of the quarterfinals in 2016, defeated by Dominika Cibulkova, and 2017, by Kristina Mladenovic. Last year he arrived in round 3, giving in to the dispute with the WTA leader since then, Iga Swiak, the one who then won the title.

Sorana Cîrstea lost in round 3 in Madrid in 2024 Photo: Imago

Two other Romanians are in qualifications, both disputing the first round today. Anca Todoni (20 years old, 88th WTA) meets Elsa Jaquemot (France, 21 years old, 143rd place). Gabriela Ruse (27 years old, 90th WTA) is facing Teodora Kostovic (Serbia, 17 years old, 625th place).