Aryna Sabalenka crashed out of the Italian Open in the third round, falling to Sorana Cirstea.
Sabalenka lost to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open and was hoping for a better result in Rome.
The world number one got off to a positive start, beating Barbora Krejcikova in her opening match.
Sabalenka had won her last two meetings with Cirstea, including their clash at the Brisbane International earlier this year, but she couldn’t continue that streak in Rome.
Sabalenka Suffers Shock Early Exit in Rome
Sorana Cirstea, who is set to retire at the end of the 2026 season, came from behind to hand Sabalenka a rare early exit, winning 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
That loss means Sabalenka remains without a title in Rome. Her best showing at the Italian Open came in 2024 when she lost to Iga Swiatek in the final.
The defeat also ended a remarkable run for Sabalenka. Before arriving in Rome, she had reached at least the quarterfinals in her previous 17 tournaments.
The last time she fell before that stage was over a year ago at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where Clara Tauson knocked her out in the third round.
Aryna Sabalenka’s world number one ranking under threat after Italian Open exit
Sabalenka hasn’t had the easiest time on clay this year, falling short of the semifinals in both Madrid and Rome. Across those two events, she managed just four wins from six matches.
After her early exit in Rome, Sabalenka will drop 150 points from last year’s quarterfinal run. That reduces her cushion over second-ranked Elena Rybakina to 1,405 points in the current live standings.
If Rybakina manages to win the Italian Open title as she did two years ago, that gap could shrink further — down to just 470 points.
However, Rybakina has already opted out of defending her title at the WTA 500 event in Strasbourg, meaning she’ll be docked 392 points regardless of how things go in Rome.
Even so, there’s a chance for movement at Roland Garros. Sabalenka is defending 1,300 points from last year’s final appearance, while Rybakina has only 240 to defend.
The draw now opens up a bit more for Rybakina following Sabalenka’s departure from Rome. She faces Alexandra Eala next as she looks to reach the fourth round and close the gap before Paris.
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