DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova lost from 6-2, 5-1 ahead against Sorana Cirstea in the Dubai Championships quarterfinals on Thursday.
Vondrousova blew six match points in losing 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2.
Cirstea also won her two most recent matchups with Vondrousova but the 18-year tour pro from Romania admitted she thought she was going to lose heavily in Dubai.
“This has to be the biggest comeback of my career,” Cirstea said. “To be honest, at a set and 5-1, I wasn’t really thinking about winning anymore. I was like, make it nicer for the public, try to make it a little bit longer, try to give them a little bit of nicer tennis. I still don’t know how I managed it.”
She started swinging freely while No. 7-seeded Vondrousova gradually grew more passive.
Cirstea saved two match points at 5-1 down with aces. At 5-2, she saved another with a drive volley as she took control of the center of the court.