World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a stunning defeat in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, falling to 36-year-old Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 3-6, 5-7. The 28-year-old Belarusian, who leads the world rankings, was outlasted by the 27th-ranked Cirstea in a tense three-set match. During the deciding set, Sabalenka took a medical timeout due to back issues. Cirstea will now face Czech player Linda Noskova in the next round. The Rome event, featuring a prize fund of €7.22 million, concludes on May 16. It is classified as a WTA 1000 tournament, ranking just below the Grand Slams and the WTA Finals in prestige.