Chinese tennis player Yuan Yue's Cincinnati Open campaign concluded Monday after a grueling three-hour match against Romania's Sorana Cirstea. The 35-year-old veteran secured a 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-4 victory in the women's singles third round, advancing to face world No. 3 Iga Świątek in the last 16.
The match opened with both players demonstrating ironclad serves, trading games until a tense tiebreak saw Yuan claim the first set. Momentum shifted dramatically in the second as Cirstea capitalized on Yuan's 22 unforced errors, leveling the match despite the Chinese player's early break opportunities.
Yuan appeared poised for victory after racing to a 2-0 lead in the deciding set, but Cirstea's experience shone through as she claimed five consecutive games. Though the 26-year-old Chinese athlete staged a late rally, saving three match points, Cirstea ultimately closed out the match on her fourth attempt.
The result marks Yuan's deepest run at a WTA 1000 event this season, while Cirstea continues her quest for a first Cincinnati Open quarterfinal since 2017.
