Like her compatriot Diane Parry, the player from the Alpes-Maritimes, Fiona Ferro, received a wild card to participate in the WTA 250 in Rouen and wasn’t any luckier with her draw. In the first round, the Frenchwoman faced the world number 26, the Romanian Sorana Cirstea.Â
Fiona Ferro neck and neck with the number 2 seed at the WTA 250 in Rouen
Fiona Ferro, originally from Valbonne in the Alpes-Maritimes, reached her career-high WTA ranking in 2021 when she was ranked 39th in the world. However, due to numerous absences from the tour, partly due to allegations against her former coach, Fiona Ferro has dropped in the rankings. Today, ranked 218th in the world, she received a wild card to participate in the WTA 250 in Rouen.
But the player from the Alpes-Maritimes had a tough challenge against the Romanian Sorana Cirstea. At the beginning of the first set, Fiona Ferro had four break points, including three at 1-1. But the difference in level and consistency was noticeable, and it was the world number 26 who took the lead by breaking at 3-2. Without hesitation, Sorana Cirstea concluded the first set 6/3.
Still struggling in the second set, Fiona Ferro saw her opponent take a quick lead. Broken once at 1-1, then a second time at 1-3, the Frenchwoman seemed unable to find solutions. Trailing 6/3-4/1, Fiona Ferro hung on, managing to break back at a crucial moment to even the score at five games each. More aggressive and combative, the player from Alpes-Maritimes converted her third set point to claim the second set in a tiebreak.
In the third set, the scenario repeated; the Frenchwoman was in trouble and lost her serve at 2-3. Two games later, Fiona Ferro saved 2 match points and managed to level the score to force another tiebreak. Unfortunately, after 2 hours and 30 minutes of battle, it was Sorana Cirstea who secured her spot in the round of 16, final score (6/3-6/7-7/6).Â
Following defeats today of Harmony Tan and Elsa Jacquemot, there will be no Frenchwomen in the round of 16 of the WTA 250 in Rouen.
