‘I think Sorana can play for another 5 years’ - Cirstea praised by a former world No. 1

Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander, 60, heaped praise on Sorana Cirstea, 35, highlighting her significance to the sport of tennis.

Last week, Cirstea had an impressive run at the WTA Iasi Open, reaching the semifinals before falling to Jil Teichmann, 28, 4-6, 3-6.

Cirstea's performance prompted the seven-time Grand Slam champion to commend the 35-year-old Romanian.

"Players like Sorana Cirstea make me happy to be involved in tennis! She demonstrates a love for the sport, a passion for competing, and a continued desire to improve. Players like Sorana are crucial to our sport," Wilander told sport.ro.

"Sorana shows us that you can play tennis and continue to improve even at 35. And, judging by her current physical condition, I think Sorana could play at this level for another five years!" added the Swede.

Wilander went on to describe Cirstea's game and commend her mentality:

"First and foremost, Sorana is an inspiration to me. We've been talking about her for a long time, since she was very young. She has incredible power, she's very competitive, and she has a good mindset. I get the impression that she's become more mature mentally over the years."

"Sorana is the perfect example of a player you don't want to face in the early rounds of a tournament! She can beat anyone and hit winners against any opponent, simply because she hits the ball so hard," concluded the former world No. 1.

Throughout this year, Cirstea has hinted on several occasions that she may retire from tennis at the end of 2025, concluding a 20-year career.