Sorana Cirstea delivered one of the most emotional moments of this 2026 Roland-Garros edition. By defeating Xiyu Wang 6-3, 7-6(4) in the fourth round, the 36-year-old Romanian reached the quarterfinals of the Parisian tournament, seventeen years after first achieving the feat.
It was in 2009 when Cirstea, then ranked 20th in the world and a rising star on tour, reached the Paris quarters before falling to Samantha Stosur. Since then, the Parisian clay had not smiled upon her beyond the third round. Until this Saturday in May 2026.
This return among the last eight sets an Open Era record: no player had ever left such a gap between two quarterfinal appearances at the same Grand Slam. The achievement is all the more remarkable as it comes during her farewell tour on the professional circuit.
Against Wang, Cirstea displayed impressive composure. The first set, won 6-3, set the tone as the Romanian dictated rallies from the baseline with remarkable consistency. The second set proved more competitive, with Wang fighting hard and pushing it to a tiebreak. But Cirstea, carried by a supportive crowd, sealed the deal 7-6(4) in just under two hours.
At 36, the world No. 18 proves that experience and determination can still compete with youth on tour. Her run at Roland-Garros 2026 will stand as one of the finest stories of this edition, regardless of what happens in her quarterfinal.
