Elina Svitolina coasts in first round win at Australian Open

Elina Svitolina celebrates during her first round of the Australian Open against Sorana Cirstea.

Elina Svitolina had a successful win to start 2025 at the Australian Open on Monday. The former world number four took down Sorana Cirstea in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 on Court Seven at Melbourne Park. The 30-year-old showed minimal struggle, moving well to get back in the form she wanted. 

The Ukrainian and Romanian met for the fourth time, and both were coming off four months of absence from tennis. Svitolina required foot surgery, which would be tested against Cirstea, who also needed the same surgery. Her path to comeback was five months in waiting after losing six straight from May to July. Despite Svitolina’s three-match wins playing Cirstea, both players came into the open hungry to tally wins under their belts. 

Cirstea opened the match serving well to Svitolina, until the Ukrainian got her hands on the ball. The 28th seed glided through her serve in the second, then broke Cirstea for the lead. Svitolina got into a groove, marking another win from her service for a 3-1 stand. The Romanian struggled to make the returns in the fifth, allowing the 28th seed to widen the gap. The Ukrainian ran into problems with both sides of her hitting, committing a second double fault late in the game. 

Cirstea gained the AD point for the break and consolidated a hold that brought her within a game after seven played. Svitolina reeled in her offense in the eighth to put pressure on the 34-year-old. She made a statement at the business end of the set, smashing winners near the baselines to send the pressure her opponent’s way. Svitolina managed the challenge earning a shutout of the Romanian to go up a set after 40 minutes. 

The opening of the second set was a challenge for Cirstea, who fell short of the 28th seed but forced a deuce on serve. They went three breaks before the Romanian sealed the win. Through the next seven games, the two players held serve, trading off control to one another. The ninth became the most competitive as Cirstea again fought from behind the score. 

She forced deuce, going five breaks with the Ukrainian, who gained every break chance. A total of seven were saved before Svitolina broke the 34-year-old to serve for the match. She jumped out to a strong lead, achieving two set points before a return landed behind the baseline to end her first-round victory in 1 hour and 31 minutes.