🇷🇴 Sorana Cîrstea vs 🇳🇿 Lulu Sun

🇷🇴 Sorana Cîrstea vs 🇳🇿 Lulu Sun – WTA Montreal R1 Preview

🎾 Monday, July 28 · WTA 1000 Montreal · Outdoor Hard

🧠 Form & Context

Sorana Cîrstea (No. 138) 🇷🇴

• 🔙 Tour veteran (age 35), was finalist here in Toronto back in 2013, but has never passed R2 in Montreal
• 💪 Strong resurgence in 2025 after injuries: 11 wins in her last 12 events, including SF in Iași and QFs in Dubai and Austin
• 🤔 Match sharpness in question: Only four matches played in the past four months

Lulu Sun (No. 97) 🇳🇿

• 🚨 Deep slump: 20 first-round exits in her last 21 events; confidence clearly fragile
• 🌱 Highlight was QF at Wimbledon 2024 (as a qualifier), but has gone just 3–9 on hard this year
• 🆕 Making Montreal main-draw debut; looking to avoid slipping outside the top 100

🔍 Match Breakdown

No previous meetings between the two. This match is poised to be dictated by baseline dominance versus lefty disruption. Cîrstea’s experience and aggressive, flat hitting should allow her to control the tempo and expose Sun’s shaky form.

Sun’s best shot is to use her left-handed spins and slices to break rhythm and target Cîrstea’s movement, but she’ll need depth and consistency—both lacking lately. Cîrstea’s recent surge, even with limited matches, gives her the edge in both confidence and execution.

🔮 Prediction

This should be a relatively straightforward opener for the Romanian if she maintains her rhythm. Sun might win a few eye-catching rallies with her angles, but the outcome seems clear.

🧩 Pick: Sorana Cîrstea in 2 sets (e.g. 6–3, 6–4)