Tuesday, October 22

‘Relieved’ and Playing the Best Tennis of Her Life, 32-12 months-Outdated Cirstea Has Discovered Her Groove

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday March 29, 2023

Sorana Cirstea began working with coach Thomas Johansson in October of final 12 months. Nearly six months later she says she is enjoying one of the best tennis of her life, and who may argue along with her?

Tennis Express

The Romanian has notched a number of Top 5 wins on the identical occasion for the primary time this week in Miami, and he or she’s reached the semifinals at a WTA 1000 occasion for the primary time in almost a decade, since 2013 Toronto.

Whatever she’s been doing with the previous Australian Open champ, who additionally coached Maria Sakkari and David Goffin, amongst others, has clearly been working.

“I feel ecstatic, mostly for the work that I’ve been doing lately because I really worked very, very hard since October, since I started with Thomas Johansson,” Cirstea mentioned after taking out World No.2 Aryna Sabelenka 6-4 6-4 on Wednesday in Miami.

“It’s been plenty of work – on the court and off the court – and there were a few months there, at Australia and in the Middle East, where results were not really coming. So you start to have some doubts, but I am at peace now that I know everything that we are working on is working and I am finding my game and I’m very happy about this result.”


Cirstea, at present ranked 74, already again within the Top 50 within the stay rankings, and he or she’s enjoying like she may make a run at her career-high of No.21 within the WTA rankings. She’ll face both Petra Kvitova or Ekaterina Alexandrova within the semis.

Cirstea says that consistency is a brand new and improved factor of her recreation beneath Johansson.

“I think I’ve always had the game,” she mentioned in an interview on the Tennis Channel set. “I was an aggressive player, I was always dangerous but now and then I could be a bit erratic and against the top players you are not allowed to do that. You have to be from the beginning to the end, very solid, very aggressive, very put together. You’re not allowed to go away even for one game, because that can be the match.

“So definitely I think I found my peace of mind and of course the results give me confidence and I’m a bit more quiet on the court, but at the same time I’m fighting as hard as I can.”


The Romanian additionally credit the Swedish coach with serving to her diversify her recreation. Power and aggression has all the time been her calling card, however now she is studying and reacting to her opponent’s video games higher, and developing with Plan B if her authentic intent shouldn’t be being felt.

“I think he’s great at reading the game,” she mentioned. “So he really is trying to teach me a bit more tennis IQ, meaning to see my position in the court, to see my opponent’s position to try to have a better shot selection, to try a little bit on this aggressive game, to come in with a slice now and then, to come in with a high ball, a bit of variety and just to be a more complete player.

“Like I said, I was always dangerous, but I had [plan] A and that was it. Now I feel I can have a good [plan] B instead, in case A is not there that day. So definitely it’s been a lot of improvements and I’m very happy with the way things are going.

“Relieved” to Be Playing the Best Tennis of Her Life

Cirstea says that there is one word that can accurately describe the feeling she had after deafeating World No.2 Sabalenka: Relief.

“I think at the end I was a bit relieved – I think that’s the word: relieved – because I’ve been waiting for these results for a while and finally they are coming, so I’m just like (sighs).

“I’m very fit, I’m playing well, I think probably I’m playing the best tennis of my life. I’m in a good place in my life also personally. So things are coming together and I’ve said it many times: I’m not defined by numbers. I love what I do, and as long as I will enjoy and have results I’ll be here. ”

Content Source: www.tennisnow.com