Sorana Cîrstea Hong Kong WTA 250 quarterfinal, Digi Mart USA News (Hong Kong): Sorana Cîrstea, the 36-year-old Romanian ranked 15th in the WTA rankings, defeated American Mary Stoiana, 23, ranked 114th, 7-5, 6-1 in the Round of 16 of the WTA 250 tournament in Hong Kong. The match could be the last tournament of Cîrstea’s career if she follows through on her decision to retire.
Cîrstea, the top seed in Hong Kong, started the match hesitantly and looked low on energy, often looking to her box, where coach Adrian Cruciat, fitness trainer Andrei Cristofor and her father were seated. She trailed 5-2 in the first set, but became more aggressive from that point, responded better in long rallies and hit more winners.
Cîrstea won five consecutive games to take the first set 7-5 after 56 minutes. She then won the first two games of the second set to lead 2-0.
Stoiana, who has Romanian roots, broke back but could not hold serve, and Cîrstea led 3-1 after Stoiana double-faulted on a break point. Cîrstea served out the match at 6-1 after converting a third break point, with Stoiana again double-faulting in that game.
The victory was Cîrstea’s 40th win on the WTA Tour this season, her best total of her career. Before 2026, her single-season record was 32 wins, set in 2013.
She will face Russia’s Alexandra Shubladze, 21, ranked 136th, in the quarterfinals on Friday, November 6, not before 10:30 a.m. Shubladze defeated compatriot Elena Pridankina 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-3 in the previous round.
Cîrstea reached quarterfinals earlier this season at Cluj-Napoca, which she won, as well as Rouen, Rome, where she reached the semifinals, Roland Garros and Linz. She was ranked 15th this week, her career-best ranking apart from one week between September 14 and 20.
