Something like this hasn't happened in 35 years! Sorana Cîrstea and Mirra Andreeva, astonishing statistics in the duel in the Roland Garros “quarters”
Article by David Istrate – Published on Sunday, 31 May 2026, 22:11 / Updated on Sunday, 31 May 2026 22:13
Sorana Cîrstea (36 years, 18 WTA) and Mirra Andreeva (19 years, 8 WTA) will tick off a historical record on Tuesday, June 2, when they meet in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. The age difference of 17 years and 22 days is the largest in the last 35 years between two opponents in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament.
On Sunday, May 31, the first 4 round of 16s at Roland Garros were played. 17 years after her first appearance in the “quarters” of the Grand Slam tournament in Paris, Sorana Cîrstea achieved this feat again, beating Xiyu Wang (25 years old, 148 WTA) 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Between Sorana Cîrstea and Mirra Andreeva is the biggest age difference in the last 35 years in a Grand Slam “quarter”
The Romanian will meet Mirra Andreeva, for the third consecutive year in the top 8 players of Roland Garros. In the “eights”, the Russian beat Jil Teichmann (28 years old, 170 WTA) 6-3, 6-2.
Statisticians from OptaAce discovered an impressive statistic about the Cîrstea – Andreeva duel. More accurate, The gap of 17 years and 22 days between the two players is the longest in the last 35 years recorded in a Grand Slam quarter-final.
Cîrstea was born on April 7, 1990, and Andreeva on April 29, 2007, so she was 2 years old when the Romanian reached the “quarters” for the first time at Roland Garros.
In 1991, Martina Navratilova and Jennifer Capriati met in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Navratilova was 34 and Capriati just 15, so the difference was 19 years and 162 days.
Capriati defeated Navratilova 6–4, 7–5 to advance to the semifinals, where she lost to Gabriela Sabatini. In the final, the Argentinian lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-8 against Steffi Graff.
The winner of the duel between Cîrstea and Andreeva will meet either Elina Svitolina (31 years, 7 WTA) or Marta Kostyuk (23 years, 15 WTA) in the Roland Garros semifinals.
Mirra serves much better, has a pretty complete game both forehand and backhand, hits pretty well, moves well. I've been training with her quite a bit lately and we're getting to know each other. It will be a very tough match, a very physical match, and the difference will be made in a few details
– said Sorana Cîrstea about Mirra Andreevain an interview granted today to eurosport.ro
