PARIS — Sorana Cirstea said her farewell year is “going way better than expected” after the Romanian veteran reached the French Open quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years.
The 36-year-old downed Chinese world number 148 Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in the last 16 and will next face either Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva or Switzerland’s 170th-ranked Jil Teichmann.
Cirstea has said she will retire at the end of the season, but hinted she could yet have a rethink after backing up her semi-final run at the Italian Open by equalling her previous best performance at Roland Garros.
“This year, it’s going way better than I expected,” said Cirstea, who arrived in Paris at a career-high ranking of 18th.
“I came into my last year, wanted to go out the front door of the sport, wanting to really do well, but I didn’t really think it was going to go that well,” she added according to AFP.
“I haven’t really thought about it. I’m just trying to take it week by week, and I’m not going to do anything different.
“I’m not going to try now to change things or put any pressure. Of course, we will assess things as we go, but at the moment the decision is the same.”
Cirstea will make her second French Open quarter-final appearance on Tuesday, hoping to improve on when she lost to Samantha Stosur in the 2009 last eight.
“Back then I was a kid, just started on tour,” she said.
“Didn’t know exactly too much what was happening. I was just playing, and I was just at the beginning of my career.
“Of course, now I have so many years behind me. I have so much experience, maturity. I feel I’m a completely different player.
“It’s just very, very different… But in the same time it’s very beautiful. I’m very grateful for everything that’s happening.”
Cirstea got a double break ahead to lead 5-1 in the first set before Wang hit back as the Romanian served for the opener.
The 18th seed made no such error the second time around as she polished off the set in just under an hour on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The second set followed much the same rhythm as the first with Cirstea storming to five games before Wang fought back.
