‘No expiration date for ambition and dreams’: Sorana Cirstea powers into Rome semis
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Romania's Sorana Cirstea celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko.
ROME – Sorana Cirstea had a simple message for all her rivals, especially her next opponent Coco Gauff, following her Italian Open quarter-final victory on May 12.
The Romanian proved that age is just a number as she continued her impressive farewell tour, reaching the semi-finals in Rome with a commanding 6-1, 7-6 (7-0) victory over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
The 36-year-old will face Gauff in the last four on May 14, after the American star overcame Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Cirstea, who plans to retire later this year, had already delivered the shock of the tournament by stunning world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.
She now stands just one win away from breaking into the top 20 for the first time in her career, having previously reached a career-high ranking of 21 in August 2013.
“I always said there’s no expiration date for ambition and dreams,” said 26th seed Cirstea.
“I think everyone can see that I absolutely love this sport. I have so much passion for it. For me to play here and be in the semi-finals in Rome is absolutely amazing.
“I’m so grateful to the sport. I’m just really, really enjoying my week in Rome so far.”
Her remarkable clay-court form has seen her suffer only two defeats this season on the surface – against two-time Grand Slam winner Gauff at the Madrid Open and Andreeva at the Linz Open. She was also forced to withdraw from her Open de Rouen semi-final due to a leg injury.
Taking on Gauff again would not be easy.
The American is much younger at 22, demonstrating on May 13 that she had the youth and energy to come from a set down for the third consecutive match in Rome, and maintained her perfect record against Andreeva with her fifth win in five meetings.
After losing the opening set, Gauff raced into a 3-0 lead in the second, saved a break point at 3-1 up and broke to wrap up the set and force the decider, where she held off a comeback charge from the Russian.
Gauff failed to serve out for the match at 5-1 up, and again at 5-3, before breaking Andreeva to seal the win.
“I had a big lead in the third set and it got a little bit close,” Gauff said.
“She’s a great player, she’s capable of winning games and I think I learnt a little bit on how to try to close those out but I’m glad I was able to win.”
In a later match, fourth seed Iga Swiatek gave another indication that she might be back to her brilliant best after destroying Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-2 and breezing into the semi-finals.
A three-time champion in Rome, the Pole took little more than an hour to take out the fifth seed on centre court, in a show of force on her preferred surface not seen since she last won the French Open two years ago.
She will face second seed Elena Rybakina or Elina Svitolina in the last four. REUTERS, AFP
