Sorana Cîrstea was in no mood to entertain her heated exchange with Naomi Osaka after crashing out of the 2026 Australian Open. While the latter addressed the controversy during her on-court interview, Cîrstea, who plans to retire this year, maintained that she wanted to focus and reminisce on her professional journey in Melbourne.
What Happened Between Sorana Cîrstea and Naomi Osaka at Australian Open?
Osaka advanced to the third round in Melbourne, beating Cîrstea 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in a tense encounter. After losing the second set, the two-time champion appeared to cheer herself up with frequent words of affirmation. She also repeatedly roared, ‘Come on,’ to keep herself motivated.
Cîrstea, who was broken in the opening game of the final set, eventually took issue with her opponent’s celebration when she was distracted by it between her first and second serves at 4-2 (30-30). She argued with the chair umpire about Osaka’s seeming hindrance but continued the point after a brief discussion.
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After losing the match, though, the Romanian player made her frustration clear with a cold handshake at the net. Naomi Osaka, flustered by the reaction, confronted the veteran, resulting in a tense exchange. During her on-court interview, the 28-year-old took a dig at Cîrstea while revealing what had transpired.
MORE: Tensions Rise as Naomi Osaka Hits Out at Sorana Cirstea After Fiery Net Exchange at Australian Open
Cîrstea Shrugs Off Controversy
In her post-match press conference, meanwhile, Sorana Cîrstea refused to acknowledge the incident. “No, all good. We just had a chat; nothing big. Again, I don’t think that’s the main thing after tonight’s match. It was a good match. She was much better than me towards the end. She deserved that win so that’s all I will say,” she said.
Upon being pressed about the exchange, she firmly said: “I will not talk about that. Look, this is my last Australian Open. I’ve been playing for 20 years and I think there’s a bit more going on than just a five seconds discussion at the end that I had with Naomi. This was my last Australian Open so the moment’s a bit bigger for me than right now to talk about the five seconds chat I had with Naomi at the end.”
Cîrstea, who turned pro in 2006, announced in December that 2026 would be her final year on tour. The 35-year-old has three career titles to her name, with a career-high ranking of No. 21. Her best Grand Slam results so far have been quarterfinals at the French Open (2009) and the US Open (2023).
At the ongoing Melbourne Major, she and her partner, Anna Kalinskaya, were knocked out of doubles in the opening round against Zhang Shuai and Elise Mertens. In singles, she won her first match against Eva Lys (3-6, 6-4, 6-3) before her loss against Osaka.
