Sorana Cîrstea (36, WTA number 18) emerged victorious in the first round at Roland Garros, defeating Ksenia Efremova (17, WTA number 625) with a score of 6-3, 6-1.
Cîrstea Overcomes Initial Pressure
As the 18th seed, Sorana Cîrstea faced a lengthy wait before stepping onto the court for what is expected to be her final Roland Garros appearance, marking her 17th participation in the tournament. Three extended matches preceded hers on the Suzanne Lenglen arena, resulting in a start time after 21:00 local time against Ksenia Efremova, who entered the competition via a wild card.
Organisers granted free admission to the match, aiming to draw a supportive crowd for Efremova, who became a French citizen in 2023 after being born in Moscow. Cîrstea, dressed in pink, initially appeared somewhat tense. She faced an unfamiliar opponent in the young Australian Open junior champion. Efremova secured an early break in the third game, capitalising on Cîrstea’s hesitant start with aggressive play.
Gradually, Cîrstea shook off her nerves, finding her rhythm and creating a break point opportunity in the subsequent game that went to six deuces.
She capitalised in the sixth game, establishing control as Efremova’s initial aggression waned. Cîrstea secured the first set 6-3, after 44 minutes, despite some vocal support from the French crowd for her opponent.
Dominant Second Set Performance
Building on her clay-court successes, including a win against world number one Aryna Sabalenka, Sorana Cîrstea increased her aggression in the second set, causing the young French player’s game to fall apart. Cîrstea steadily accumulated games, becoming more focused and reserved, a sign that she had found her stride. The Romanian surged to a 4-0 lead, quieting the crowd.
Ksenia Efremova managed to win one game in the second set before Sorana Cîrstea closed out the match 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and ten minutes. This victory marks Cîrstea’s tenth entry into the second round at Roland Garros, with her best result being a quarter-final appearance in 2009.
Looking Ahead
In the next round, Cîrstea is slated to compete against the victor of the match between Petra Marcinko (20, WTA number 76) and Eva Lys (24, WTA number 81). The match is scheduled for Monday.
Cîrstea concluded the match decisively, securing her place in the second round.