⁠Sorana Cirstea defeated world’s top women’s player 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third round as the latter suffered pain in lower back.

Aryna Sabalenka’s ‌French Open preparations have suffered a setback following a third-round ⁠defeat by ⁠Sorana Cirstea at the Italian Open, with the world number one now looking to shake off an injury before the Grand Slam that begins in less than two weeks.

Sabalenka needed treatment late in her meeting with Cirstea on Saturday before ⁠she fell 6-2, 3-6, 5-7 for her second defeat in three matches after a quarterfinal loss to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open last month.

It was a first win over a world number one for the 36-year-old Romanian, who is playing her final professional season.

“I’m very, very happy,” a beaming Cirstea said. “Aryna is an amazing player. I thought I played really well today. I’m working really, really hard. It’s nice to have this result as payoff.”

Sabalenka was visibly frustrated with her performance on centre court, muttering to herself with her shoulders slumped during an uncharacteristically sloppy display.

“I feel like I didn’t play well from the ‌beginning till the end. I started really well, but I dropped the level,” four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka said in Rome.

“I felt like my body was limiting me from performing at the highest level. She stepped in and played incredible tennis. She didn’t really give me many opportunities.

“That was ⁠a tough one. But I guess we ⁠never lose; we only learn, so it’s OK.”

Sabalenka’s disappointing clay court swing follows a stellar run on hardcourts, during which she captured the Brisbane title, reached the ⁠Australian Open final and claimed back-to-back trophies in Indian Wells and Miami.

The Belarusian said she ⁠now hoped to regain her fitness ⁠in time for the French Open, which gets under way in Paris on May 24, after losing last year’s final against Coco Gauff.

“I’d say that probably it’s ‌like my lower back, connected to the hip, which limited my full rotation,” the 28-year-old added.

“I guess we’re just going to ‌have ‌some days off. We’re going to spend it on recovery. That’s the plan for now.”

It was the second straight surprise exit for Sabalenka, who was upset by American Hailey Baptiste in the Madrid Open quarterfinals last week.

Cirstea will next play Linda Noskova in the round of 16.

Defending champion Jasmine Paolini wasted three match points in a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to Elise Mertens in the third round at home.

The 30-year-old is set to drop out of the top 10 of the women’s world rankings after failing to reach the fourth round of a fourth consecutive tournament.

Sinner starts strong

Jannik Sinner got his Italian Open campaign under way by brushing aside Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4 to start his bid to extend a record-breaking run of five straight Masters 1000 tournament victories.

The world number one delighted fans in the packed centre court stands with a predictably dominant display, which left Austria’s Ofner little room to breathe, even in the breezy atmosphere of Rome.

Sinner won his 24th consecutive match in one hour and 40 minutes, the 24-year-old barely breaking a sweat to set up a clash with Alexei Popyrin or Jakub Mensik in the third round.

No Italian man has won at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago, and with Carlos Alcaraz out of action, Sinner is expected to go one better than last year when he lost the final to his great rival.

Such was Sinner’s dominance that he had time to break into a smile when the match was stopped twice in the second set for spectator illnesses.

“I’m very happy to be back here, it’s always been a very special tournament for me,” said Sinner.

“I’m trying to get into a good match rhythm again, even though I’ve played a lot in the last couple of months … I’m very happy, and now let’s see what’s coming also in the next round.”

Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime suffered a shock second-round defeat at the hands of Argentina’s Mariano Navone, the Canadian losing to his 44th-ranked opponent in straight sets 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5).