For the first time in 10 years, Sorana Cirstea will play in the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event after the unseeded Romanian upset No.2 seed and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals at the Miami Open, here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In their first career meeting, Cirstea beat Sabalenka 6-4, 6-4 in the last eight on Wednesday night to move into the penultimate round of a tournament of this size for the first time since finishing runner-up to Serena Williams in Toronto in 2013.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It's been a resurgent tournament for 32-year-old Cirstea in more ways than one, as she hasn't dropped a set in five victories. She's also beaten No.5 seed Caroline Garcia this week (after beating her in Indian Wells, too) and former Top 20 players Karolina Muchova and Marketa Vondrousova.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
She took the next step in her second quarterfinal in this Sunshine Double: The 85-minute win over Sabalenka was her first victory over a player ranked in the Top 2 of the WTA rankings. (She was beaten by World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open earlier this month.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think I'm a bit speechless. I came out knowing that it's going to be a really tough match. Aryna hits so hard, so I knew I had to hold my ground, and I'm very, very happy with my performance today," Cirstea was quoted as saying by WTA.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I guess people like to keep count of the age, the years, the results, but I never do that. I just mind my own business, work hard, do my thing, believe in my game, work with my coach Thomas Johansson -- we just started in December and so far, I think it's going great. I'm not defined by numbers. I'm just trying to keep my head down and work hard," she added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For a place in the final, Cirstea will face the winner of the evening quarterfinal between two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the No.15 seed, and unseeded Ekaterina Alexandrova.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I guess people like to keep count of the age, the years, the results, but I never do that. I just mind my own business, work hard, do my thing, believe in my game, work with my coach Thomas Johansson -- we just started in December and so far, I think it's going great. I'm not defined by numbers. I'm just trying to keep my head down and work hard," she added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n