Sabalenka knocked out of Italian Open

World number one Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the Italian Open in the third round by Sorana Cirstea, losing 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. Sabalenka, who was the favorite for the title, had not been eliminated at this stage of a tournament since the Qatar Open last February. Despite a strong start, she made too many errors, particularly on her serve, and called for a medical timeout for a hip issue. Cirstea will face Linda Noskova in the next round after this significant win.