Tennis: Two weeks before Roland

The Belarusian was beaten in three sets on Saturday, suffering a premature second straight elimination after an almost flawless start to the year.

Aryna Sabalenka is struggling on clay courts. After being eliminated in the quarterfinals in Madrid against American Hailey Baptiste, the world number 1 was this time eliminated in the third round of the WTA 1000 in Rome, the last important event before Roland-Garros (from May 24 to June 7), on Saturday, May 9, against Romanian Sorana Cirstea, 27th in the world (2-6, 6-3, 7-5).

Strongly dominating in the first set, as expected, and then breaking early in the second, the Belarusian then abruptly folded. Clearly affected by a hip injury, which forced her to seek medical assistance from the tournament staff during the third set, she eventually lost the second and third sets.

This is only her third defeat of the season, but the second on clay after an almost perfect start to the year with a final at the Australian Open and titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami. Arriving in the quarterfinals in Rome last year after winning in Madrid, the Roland-Garros runner-up will not approach the French Open this time with the same confidence.