In 66 previous Grand Slam main draw appearances – since her debut at the 2008 Australian Open – the Romanian had only reached the quarterfinals on two occasions (Roland Garros 2009 and the US Open 2023). However, Cirstea’s plans remain unchanged, as she still intends to retire at the end of the season, setting the course for her farewell and dispelling doubts about her future after a 0-6, 3-6 quarterfinal defeat to Mirra Andreeva.
“I’m sticking to my decision”: Cirstea remains committed to retirement
“Today, unfortunately, Mira was way too strong. Conditions were very different, it was very slow, and I felt she didn’t give me any chance. Sometimes it happens. The opponent is better on the day than you, and you have to accept it.”
Despite the strong result, Cirstea stated that there will be no changes regarding her retirement plans. “Yes, I’m sticking to my decision,” assured the World No. 18. “Nothing changed in my mind. I’m just very grateful for how the year is going and the way I’m playing.
“Again, overall it was a very solid tournament, but today I felt the conditions were very, very slow. I wasn’t able to hurt her with anything, and she really played very, very well. I think my level was a little bit low and her level was very, very high. This is where you get the difference.”
“I never expected I would play above 30”
It was one of the best Grand Slam campaigns of Cirstea’s career, as she returned to the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. She defeated opponents such as Eva Lys and Xinyu Wang along the way and did not drop a set until facing Andreeva on Tuesday, completing one of the finest runs of her 20-year career.
“I think the longevity of my career is one of the things I’m most proud of,” added Cirstea. “I never expected I would play above 30, to be honest, and I never thought I would have such a long career. Also, the way I fought, the way I evolved as a player, but also as a person through these years and through tennis, because I feel like this sport has taught me so much.”
The Romanian now prepares for a grass swing packed with tournaments. She will compete at the Queen’s Club Championships as the eighth seed before moving on to appearances in Berlin and Bad Homburg, completing three tournaments before Wimbledon – which will be her final appearance at SW19 – where she has never advanced beyond the third round in 16 previous appearances.