Ostapenko Reaches Fifth Rome Quarterfinal With 6-1, 6-2 Win

ostapenko reached her fifth quarterfinal in Rome on Monday, beating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in 70 minutes. The win sends her into a quarterfinal on Centrale against No. 26 seed Sorana Cirstea after a week in which she has already come from a set down twice.

Pietrangeli Run Continues

Kalinskaya never found a foothold before Ostapenko closed it out quickly. The Latvian said after the match, "I think I'm improving every day, and I always knew I can beat everyone when I play my game." She added, "I just need to work on the things I have to work on -- the mental part and all that. If it sticks together, I can be a very dangerous player."

Ostapenko also brushed aside the fact that she had been 0-4 against Kalinskaya, saying, "I honestly didn't really care much" and "I know I'm a better player." Kalinskaya took an off-court medical timeout after the first set, and there was no handshake at the end. Ostapenko said that was Kalinskaya's choice.

Sorana Cirstea On Centrale

The quarterfinal moves to Centrale, where all matches from that round on at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia were scheduled. Ostapenko owns a 7-2 career record on Pietrangeli and was 3-0 there this year before the quarterfinal stage, but that edge now gives way to a different court and a different test.

Cirstea earned her place with a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 13 seed Linda Noskova, her first Rome quarterfinal, after upsetting No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. Ostapenko called her "a super nice person" and said, "I think she's playing really well this year."

Cirstea's Freedom

Ostapenko also pointed to Cirstea's 2026 final year, saying it gives her "a bit of freedom, in a good way, because you don't have that pressure that you have to defend points and stuff like this." She added, "She's such a hard worker, too," and noted that injuries have made the comeback harder for Cirstea.

Cirstea, 36 years old, said after beating Noskova, "All those expectations just went through the window, because I didn't have to prove anything anymore." That leaves Rome with a quarterfinal built around two players arriving with momentum, one after a 70-minute rout and the other after taking down the No. 1 seed and then the No. 13 seed in the same week.