🇷🇴 Sorana Cîrstea vs 🇭🇷 Donna Vekić

🎾 WTA Cincinnati – First Round Preview

🇷🇴 Sorana Cîrstea vs 🇭🇷 Donna Vekić

🧠 Form & Context

• Sorana Cîrstea
  • 📉 Form slide: Comes into this match on a four-match losing streak, most recently falling to Lulu Sun in Montreal’s opening round.
  • ⚠️ Match fitness: Has only played five events since April—rust and lack of rhythm are major factors here.
  • 🎾 Hard-court track record: While she owns a respectable 266–205 career mark on hard courts, her 2025 form (7–7) signals a noticeable decline.
• Donna Vekić
  • 🔄 Mixed summer: Just three wins in her last six tournaments, and still looking for her first quarterfinal appearance in over a year.
  • ⚡ Big-stage flashes: Reached the Round of 16 at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Madrid—she tends to raise her level at higher-tier events.
  • 📊 Hard-court form: A 5–9 record in 2025 isn't sparkling, but includes a few strong wins over top-50 players.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a battle between two experienced players, but current form tilts the scales heavily toward Vekić.

Cîrstea will look to build points using flat depth and angles, but her lack of recent match time means her timing and footwork could be off—especially on quick hard courts. The Romanian’s usual weapons—precision, variety, and sudden pace—lose effectiveness when rhythm isn’t there.

Vekić brings more explosive tools to the table. Her first serve is potent, and her backhand—especially down the line—can end points in a flash. She’ll aim to take early control of rallies, stepping in on Cîrstea’s second serves and forcing errors with forehand aggression. As long as she serves well and doesn’t get drawn into long exchanges, she’ll dictate the tempo.

The key clash: Cîrstea’s ability to disrupt rhythm vs. Vekić’s ability to hit through her. If Vekić executes early, Cîrstea won’t have enough time to compensate with craftiness alone.

🔮 Prediction

Given the form disparity and Vekić’s sharper edge in recent matches, she should be able to break early, control play with aggressive positioning, and keep Cîrstea off-balance throughout.

🧩 Pick: Vekić in 2 sets.

Unless Cîrstea rediscovers her rhythm out of nowhere, this is Vekić’s match to take command of.