Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea on Tuesday advanced to the second round of the women’s singles at the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating Argentina’s Solana Sierra 7-5 6-0.

Cirstea, 35, world number 71, won in an hour and 12 minutes.

For Cirstea, this was her eighth consecutive win after winning the singles title at Tennis in the Land WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland as a qualifier.

The Romanian made the difference in the first set with a break in the last game, and then she definitely dominated the second set.

Cirstea, who had four aces and made three double faults, was dominated by Sierra, 21, world number 74, in winners (13-16), but made fewer unforced errors (20-22).

For her performance so far, Cirstea, who did not participate in the US Open last year due to an injury, won USD 154,000 and 70 WTA singles points, and in the second round she will face the Czech player Karolina Muchova.

Muchova, 29, world number 13 is 5-1 in the head-to-head count against Cirstea, including two US Open victories, one in 2020 (6-3 2-6 7-6 in the third round) and another in 2023 (6-0 6-3 in the quarterfinals).

Also on Tuesday, compatriot Jaqueline Cristian, 27, world number 50, defeated American Danielle Collins in the first round at Flushing Meadows, 6-0 6-2, and in the second round she will face another American, Ashlyn Krueger, 21, world number 38, for the first time.

AGERPRES