Jeļena Ostapenko kept her run in Rome rolling Monday with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Anna Kalinskaya in 70 minutes, reaching her fifth quarterfinal at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.
The victory completed a sharp turnaround for Ostapenko at the Foro Italico this week. She had opened the tournament by coming from a set down to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse, then did the same against Zheng Qinwen, and had been 0-8 combined against those three opponents before the Kalinskaya match. Against Kalinskaya, she was even more familiar with the uphill climb: she had never beaten her before Monday and was 0-4 against her.
Ostapenko said afterward that she felt herself getting stronger with every match. “I think I'm improving every day, and I always knew I can beat everyone when I play my game,” she said. She also said she still has work to do on the part of her game that does not show up in the scoreline. “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,” she said.
Monday’s match also carried a small edge. 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. She added that she had been prepared for interruptions. “I was ready for all kinds of simulations with the physio calls and all these things,” she said. “I honestly didn't really care much. I know I'm a better player.”
The result continues a strong record for Ostapenko on Pietrangeli, where she is now 7-2 in her career and 3-0 this year. From the quarterfinals on, all matches in Rome move to Centrale, giving the draw a different feel after a week on the smaller stage. Her next opponent will be No. 26 seed Sorana Cirstea, a matchup that pairs two players who know each other well.
Ostapenko said Cirstea has earned the results she has put together this year. “I think she's playing really well this year,” she said. “She's such a hard worker, too.” She also called the Romanian “a super nice person,” and said their familiarity makes the meeting less mysterious than most quarterfinals.
Cirstea’s run has been one of the stories of the tournament. At 36 years old, she backed her current level against her 22-year-old self and reached her first quarterfinal in Rome after upsetting No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round and then beating No. 13 seed Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-4. It is her 11th career quarterfinal at WTA level.
Cirstea has said 2026 will be her final season, and she says that has allowed her to play with fewer inhibitions. “All those expectations just went through the window, because I didn't have to prove anything anymore,” she said. Ostapenko believes that freedom matters. “I think [2026 being Cirstea's final year] 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,” Ostapenko said.
For Ostapenko, the week has already turned into a reminder of how quickly a draw can change when form and belief line up. For Cirstea, it is a chance to test that freedom against an opponent who has been finding answers all week, one comeback and one straight-sets win at a time.
