Sorana Cîrstea Makes Perfect US Open Start and Secures $190,000

Sorana Cîrstea opened her 2026 US Open campaign with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win over Austria’s Julia Grabher, reaching the second round in one hour and 26 minutes.

The Romanian made an aggressive start, winning the first four games after taking two early breaks. Grabher briefly fought back by winning three games in a row, cutting the deficit to 4-3, but Cîrstea immediately regained control. She broke again as Grabher served to level the set at 4-4, then held serve to move to 5-3 and closed out the opening set.

The second set was far more one-sided. Cîrstea won five straight games and took a 5-0 lead after three breaks. The final game produced the match’s longest contest. Grabher had seven break points but could not convert any of them, while Cîrstea missed three match points before finally completing the 6-0 set.

Cîrstea, 36, is ranked 17th by the WTA and holds the No. 16 seed. She will play 31st-ranked Frenchwoman Diane Parry for a place in the third round. Parry advanced after beating Viktorija Golubic Li 7-5, 6-4.

The victory also guaranteed Cîrstea a $190,000 prize. A third-round appearance would add approximately 100,000 euros to her earnings. She has played 50 matches in 2026 and won 37 of them.