# Romanian tennis players at Cincinnati Open and US Open > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/romanian-tennis-players-at-cincinnati-open > Updated: 2026-08-31T05:58:29.000Z. Sources: 23. Developments: 4. Romanian tennis players Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse utilized the Cincinnati Open as final preparation for the US Open. In Cincinnati, Gabriela Ruse was scheduled to face Magda Linette in the first round. Sorana Cîrstea, the 19th seed, received a direct entry into the second round. Cîrstea advanced by defeating Nikola Bartunkova 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match lasting one hour and 55 minutes. This victory, which included overcoming a 4-2 deficit in the first-set tie-break, marked her first win since Wimbledon. The 36-year-old player has previously noted that 2026 would be her final professional season. Cîrstea subsequently advanced to the round of 16 following the retirement of Ana Kalinskaya. At the time of Kalinskaya’s withdrawal due to injury, Cîrstea was leading 5-0 in the deciding set. The match, which was interrupted by rain, earned Cîrstea approximately $81,752 and 120 WTA ranking points. Following their performances in Cincinnati, the players received their US Open draws. Gabriela Ruse, ranked 63rd, faces world number 3 and third seed Jessica Pegula in the first round. The winner of that match will advance to face either Venus Williams or Sofia Kenin. Sorana Cîrstea, ranked 17th and seeded 16th, is scheduled to begin her campaign on Court 10 against Austria’s Julia Grabher. Cîrstea enters the match as the favorite, having won both of her previous encounters against Grabher in Linz (2020) and Istanbul (2022). Both Romanian players are positioned in the same half of the tournament bracket. At the US Open, Cîrstea secured her place in the second round by defeating Julia Grabher with a score of 6-3, 6-0, earning $190,000 in prize money. She is scheduled to face France’s Diane Parry next. ## Claims - Sorana Cîrstea defeated Nikola Bartunkova in the second round of the Cincinnati WTA 1000 tournament. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The match score was 7-6 (5), 6-3. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Sorana Cîrstea is the 19th seed in the Cincinnati tournament. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Sorana Cîrstea announced that 2026 will be the final season of her career. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Cincinnati tournament offers over one million dollars in prize money. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: Sorana Cîrstea and Anastasia Potapova advance in US Open opening rounds Sorana Cîrstea and Anastasia Potapova both secured decisive first-round victories at the 2026 US Open to advance to the second round. 15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sorana-crstea-faces-julia-grabher-in-us-open-first-round ### 2026-08-28: Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse draw US Open opponents Romanian players Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse face their US Open first-round opponents, with Ruse set for a tough match against world number 3 Jessica Pegula. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sorana-crstea-and-gabriela-ruse-draw-us-open-opponents ### 2026-08-16: Sorana Cîrstea advances in Cincinnati WTA 1000 Sorana Cîrstea defeated Nikola Bartunkova 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the second round of the Cincinnati WTA 1000, preparing for the US Open in what she has called her penultimate seasons. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sorana-crstea-advances-in-cincinnati-wta-1000 ### 2026-08-11: Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse draw paths at Cincinnati Open Romanian players Sorana Cîrstea and Gabriela Ruse have drawn their paths for the Cincinnati Open ahead of the US Open. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sorana-crstea-and-gabriela-ruse-draw-paths-at-cincinnati-open --- Cite as: Romanian tennis players at Cincinnati Open and US Open. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/romanian-tennis-players-at-cincinnati-open