World number one Aryna Sabalenka is eliminated from the Italian Open in the third round after losing to Sorana Cirstea in Rome. Multiple reports say the match ends with Sabalenka losing 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, marking her second defeat in three matches. With the result, Cirstea advances to the next round. The accounts also place the loss in the wider context of preparation for the French Open, noting that Sabalenka is among the prominent players exiting before the next Grand Slam. One report adds that Djokovic is also knocked out from the men’s event on Friday, described as another major early departure from the tournament. Overall, the sources agree that Sabalenka’s third-round run ends at the hands of Cirstea, and that the defeat is a continuation of her recent struggles entering the clay-court stretch.