Aryna Sabalenka’s Italian Open journey has come to a close, and her journey has been as controversial as the result itself. The world No. 1 lost her third round match and the third defeat of the season to 26th seed Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 3-6, 5-7. The biggest controversy was a medical timeout Sabalenka took at 3-4 in the final set, as she was treated on her lower back and hip area while Cirstea was to serve next. The timing did not go unnoticed.
Fans promptly took to the incident online. The Belarusian was accused of “gamesmanship” on social media, with some comments calling her a “cheater” and making direct comparisons to how Novak Djokovic used medical timeouts in crucial moments of a match as a tactic to slow the game down and break the momentum of the opponent. The frustration on the part of the crowd watching was also evident, with the stoppage coming at arguably the most critical point of the match. Whether it was a real injury or a tactic is a question only Sabalenka can answer, but before she made her way back to the baseline, the court of public opinion had already spoken.
Medical time out for Aryna Sabalenka
Treatment on lower back / hip area
Sorana Cirstea to serve next at 4-3 up in set 3 pic.twitter.com/I1lS5kFv1M
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) May 9, 2026
This medical timeout was not the only one that garnered attention. The top seed was spotted earlier in the third set, when she was trailing, pointing quickly at her player’s box and yelling, “What are you showing me??” to her teammates. It was a sign of a player not at their best, making the charge of ‘tactical gamesmanship’ a little difficult to justify. A player who is composed enough to manufacture a break would typically not be visibly unravelling at her own box moments earlier.
To her credit, Cirstea kept her cool in the entire process. The Romanian, who earlier this year announced that 2026 would be her last season on tour, delivered one of the highlights of her retirement campaign. After losing the first set haplessly, she fought her way back and won the final two sets against the best player in the world. It’s a kind of result that will stick with her and the tennis community long after the season is over.
Sabalenka’s defeat poses awkward questions. She gave some of the boldest statements regarding the prize money dispute with the Grand Slams in Rome, and now an early exit will not help her cause heading to the Roland Garros.
