Article by Luminița Paul – Published on Sunday, 26 April 2026, 16:29 / Updated on Sunday, 26 April 2026 16:32
Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea (36 years old, 26th WTA ranking) dissected the defeat in the 3rd round in Madrid, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6 in front of Coco Gauff (22 years old, world number 3), emphasizing that she should have closed the match in two acts, after leading 6-4 and a break in the second set.
The third match played by Sorana Cîrstea against Coco Gauff, this time on the Manolo Santana Central Court at Caja Magica, had a history similar to the other two played before. And the same outcome, a painful defeat in three sets, although he had a very good first act, then led three times with breaks in front in the second act.
About an hour after the end of the game, after leaving the Madrid arena to the applause of the public, she answered the questions asked in the mixed area.
“It was a good match for two sets, we had a set and 2-0, there I think the game was played a bit and we dropped those two games too quickly to reach 2-2. Then again I served at 4-3, I lost my serve extremely easily and I think those are two moments that I regret“, she emphasized when she was asked to recreate the route of this game that lasted two hours and 19 minutes.
She then returned to what she considers to be a key moment of the match: “At 2-0 in the 2nd set I had to stay in the game more and at 4-3 the service, there I had to find a solution to hold my serve”, insisted the Romanian.
Sorana Cîrstea: “I didn't even know he had a problem, he moved flawlessly”
Speaking about the decisive act, one with a slightly deceptive 1-6 to contain a very long range, of about 10 minutes, awarded by Cîrstea saving five break points, he assessed that “she basically found her game and started to feel the right much better and settle down. And for me, things didn't work so well and in the third set it was clearly over me, but again, the match should have been over in two sets and it's my fault and I own it because I didn't manage things well in the second set“.
Coco Gauff called for medical attention at 4-4 in the second set untimely and threw up in a trash can, had his blood pressure taken, but returned to the court and continued the match.
“I didn't feel anything, I didn't even know he had a problem, it didn't show, he moved flawlessly, he played extremely well, he hit both forehands and backhands, he served well. From the point of view of the game, it was not seen that he had any physical problem or even now I don't know exactly what the problem was” said Sorana. “Again, it doesn't matter, you're trying to play, you're trying to play, and this match I had to win,” she returned to the final bitter realization.
As on many other occasions, there was gala support in the stands, in one of the boxes Nadia Comăneci was with her husband, Bart Conner. “I was very happy to see Nadia at the match, she is a person I admire a lot and I am very grateful every time I have the opportunity to talk to her,” said Sorana, suddenly brightening.
“She is my idol since childhood and as an adult, she is an extraordinary lady and a legend and I enjoy every time I can share common experiences with her,” she added.
Sorana Cîrstea, farewell taken from the Madrid tournament
Sorana Cîrstea closed, with this match, her participation in the tournament in Madrid, considering that she is in the final year of her career. It was her 15th appearance in the main draw, the first being in 2009even at the inaugural edition of the women's contest. He achieved his first victory in 2012when it was played on blue clay, and it was a resounding one, against the favorite 7 at the time, Marion Bartoli6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-3. Twice he reached the quarter-finals, the peak performance, in 2016 and 2017.
4Sorana Cîrstea has WTA titles in her record, the most recently won this year, in Cluj-Napoca, at the Transylvania Open
“It is a beautiful tournament, a tournament that I have always appreciated and I felt at home here. I love the city and have played well over the years“, she emphasized.
“Like I said, I wish I had more training days, but I did the best I could with what I had and again I showed a good level, a pretty consistent level and that gives me confidence for the tournaments in Rome and Roland Garros,” she said, recalling the calf injury she picked up during the Rouen tournament. There he had to withdraw before the semi-final, in order not to aggravate his problem and miss the important contests that follow.
For now, for Sorana it is “Goodbye, Madrid!“, on the competitive side. Next up is Rome and Roland Garros, then the grass season and other challenges for the final year of a busy career.
