Sorana Cirstea Defeated Wang Xinyu to Reach French Open Quarter Finals After 17 Years

Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea extended her impressive French Open 2026 campaign on Sunday, booking a place in the last eight with a straight-sets victory over China's Wang Xinyu in Paris.

Sorana Cirstea defeated Wang Xinyu 6-3, 7-6(4) to continue her run at Roland Garros and secure a milestone result late in her career. The victory sends the Romanian into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time since 2009.

The result adds another notable chapter to Cirstea's season, which has already featured strong performances on clay. Earlier this year, she reached two semi-finals and also claimed a high-profile win over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Rome.

At 36, Cirstea is competing in what she has indicated will be her final season on tour. Despite approaching retirement, she has produced some of her most consistent tennis in recent months and remains in contention at one of the sport's biggest events.

The latest win also carries historical significance. Sorana Cirstea reaches in quarter-final of a Grand Slam tournament for only the third time in her career and returns to the Roland Garros last eight after a gap of 17 years. The achievement represents the longest span between a player's first two women's singles quarter-final appearances at the French Open in the Open Era.

Speaking after the match, Cirstea credited her continued motivation to her love for the game and her belief that ambition should not be limited by age.

"I always thought there is no expiry date for ambition and for dreams. I have so much passion for this sport," Cirstea said.

"I absolutely love tennis and to be able to still play at this level - have my family, my team, the closest people watching me - it's an absolute joy.

"I think sometimes society puts us in certain groups because of the age. But I think in life, you are free to do whatever you want and I want to play. And here I am, thank you everyone for all the support."

With several leading contenders already out of the women's draw, Cirstea now heads into the quarter-finals with an opportunity to continue her strongest Grand Slam run in more than a decade.