Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya partnered for the very first time at the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open. Remarkably, this debut collaboration culminated in them becoming WTA 1000 doubles champions after a stellar two-week performance.
In a final on Sunday featuring two unseeded pairs, which proved to be a nail-biter until the very end, Cirstea and Kalinskaya secured victory over Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens. The final score was 6-7(10), 6-2, [12-10], with the winning pair saving a championship point during the crucial match tie-break.
The match was a dynamic affair, with momentum shifting multiple times. Cirstea and Kalinskaya initially found themselves trailing by a set and a break, down 7-6, 2-0. However, they mounted a significant comeback, ultimately closing out the unpredictable encounter after 2 hours and 14 minutes on court.
This win ends a considerable wait for doubles titles for both players. For Anna Kalinskaya, this is her fourth WTA doubles title and her first since 2022. Sorana Cirstea`s wait was even longer; this is her sixth WTA doubles title, marking her first success in the format since 2019.
Achieving a WTA 1000 title is a career first for both Cirstea and Kalinskaya in any category. While this was their inaugural appearance in a WTA 1000 doubles final, both players have previously reached the singles final at this prestigious level, finishing as runners-up – Cirstea at Toronto in 2013 and Kalinskaya at Dubai in 2024.
