"My lower back, connected to the hip which kind of limits me": Aryna Sabalenka confirms injury issue after Cirstea humbling
WTASaturday, 09 May 2026 at 20:59
Aryna Sabalenka's preparation for the French Open has not gone well at all this time around. She lost to Hailey Baptiste in the latter stages in Madrid in what was the biggest win of her career while in Rome, it was a familiar spoiler.
Sorana Cirstea continues to cause big names problems and chief among them is Sabalenka. The World No.1 was broken six times during a shock 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 loss to the Romanian who was on a seven match losing streak against top 10 players.
What made it worse her end was that Sabalenka was leading by a set and a break before struggling with her serve which resulted in her getting broken four times in a row between the second and third sets. It is her earliest exit since Dubai last year. So while it is a shock loss it is is also exacerbated by the fact that it is so out of character.
But there is more, as there is an injury issue which could yet hinder her from going into Roland Garros. “I feel like I didn’t play well from the beginning till the end,” Sabalenka said as per WTA.
“I started really well, but then I kind of dropped the level. I felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the highest level. She (Cirstea) stepped in and played incredible tennis. Didn’t really give me much opportunities.”
Roland Garros concerns and Cirstea retirement
But while that is the case, Sabalenka took a medical timeout during the decider when she was down 4-3 and seemed to be struggling with a lower back issue which affected her movement on court. Although she needs tests to see whether it is an issue that could yet prove to be fatal for Roland Garros. “I’d say that probably it’s like my lower back, connected to the hip, which kind of limits me from the full rotation,” she replied when asked about her injury issue.
“I guess we (Sabalenka’s team) are just going to have some days off. We’re going to spend it on recovery. That’s the plan I believe for now.”
Big concerns for Sabalenka.
But she also called on Cirstea to not retire so hastily. The Romanian 36-year-old will call time on her career at the end of the year despite perhaps being at her best now. But she has often said that she isn't going to perform a U-turn. Sabalenka hinted she would like to see it happen though saying she feels she could feasibly play for longer.
“She’s a fighter. It’s kind of like it’s sad to see her leaving because I feel like she’s one of those players that’s fighting no matter what,” Sabalenka said of Cirstea, who will retire later this year. "I felt like she could stay for longer.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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