By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 23, 2025
Photograph credit score: Tennis within the Land Fb
Sorana Cirstea turned Cleveland into revival land.
The 35-year-old Cirstea transformed her fifth championship level defeating American Ann Li 6-2, 6-4 to seize the WTA 250 title in Cleveland right this moment.
Contesting her seventh profession remaining, Cirstea collected her third profession Tour-level championship with out surrendering a set.
It comes 17 years after the Romanian veteran gained her maiden crown in Tashkent and 4 years after she gained Istanbul.
The queen of Cleveland! 😍@sorana_cirstea defeats Li 6-2, 6-4 to take the title in Ohio! #TennisinTheLand pic.twitter.com/lYjAKYCoQb
— wta (@WTA) August 23, 2025
Romanian followers serenaded Cirstea with chants of “So-Ra-Na! So-Ra-Na!” and offered her with the Romanian flag and flowers
“I got here right here to play some matches with completely zero expectations,” Cirstea mentioned. “I wish to thank my coach Adrian [Cruciat].
“I couldn’t ask for a greater coach. Very lately, two months in the past, we received again collectively after which straightaway we received the title… I’m very, very grateful for [the Romanians] assist. This one is for you guys as nicely. I didn’t assume there have been so many Romanians in Cleveland.”
World No. 112 Cirstea is the primary qualifier to win the Tennis within the Land title. Cirstea gained two qualifying matches then beat Moyuka Uchijima, Jil Teichmann, Liudmila Samsonova and Anastasia Zakharova en path to her first remaining of the 12 months.
This title run propels the previous world No. 21 to No. 71 within the WTA Stay Rankings.
The 2023 US Open quarterfinalist pulled the plug on her 2024 season to recuperate from plantar fasciitis after dropping six matches in a row, then began 2025 with a 1-4 mark earlier than reaching the Dubai quarterfinals in February.
Li, who was ranked No. 131 presently final 12 months, put collectively one in all her finest performances. Li stopped Yuliia Starodubtseva, Iva Jovic, Elsa Jacquemot and Xinyu Wang to advance to her second remaining of the season.
“Congratulations Sorana you’re taking part in some actually good tennis—a tremendous week for you and I want you one of the best,” Li mentioned. “It’s my first time right here, nevertheless it’s wonderful occasion, wonderful metropolis…
“It was an incredible week. Because of my group they’re with me by means of the nice and the dangerous. I couldn’t ask for higher folks round me.”
Li rises to No. 58 within the stay rankings after this remaining run.
At this time, Li held to open earlier than Cirstea rolled by means of six of the following seven video games to grab a one-set lead.
Li held to start out the second set, however Cirstea drained forehand errors breaking for 2-1.
Serving at 3-5, 15-40, Li dug in denying two championship factors then saved a 3rd finally incomes a hard-fought maintain for 4-5.
Serving for her third title, Cirstea went down 15-40 however saved each break factors. Li induced a forehand error combating off a fourth championship level.
Resetting, Cirstea drew successive netted drive to shut in a single hour, 24 minutes.
