Second Kazakhstani competitor completes competition at elite event held in Rome
Get the inside scoop on the fiery showdown between Yulia Putintseva and Jacqueline Cristian at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome
Yulia Putintseva, Kazakhstan's second-ranked female singles tennis player, went head-to-head with Romanian powerhouse Jacqueline Cristian in the second round of the Rome tournament. The match was a close-fought two-hour battle, culminating in Cristian's triumph with a 2-set score of 6:7 (2:7), 5:7.
Putintseva, ranked 29th in the world and seeded for the tournament, showcased her grit from the get-go. She served up an ace and converted two break points, but it wasn't enough to secure victory. Cristian, a right-handed Romanian player known for her tenacity, returned the favor with a strong performance of her own.
As a professional since 2013, Cristian boasts a career prize money earning of over $2 million and stands tall at around 5 feet 11 inches (approximately 183 cm). Her commitment to the sport has earned her a WTA ranking within the top 100 globally, with her rank fluctuating between No. 66 and No. 74.
Cristian's victory marks her continued upward trajectory in the tennis world. Despite having not yet captured a WTA singles title, she has demonstrated impressive progress, with notable performances such as semifinal appearances at Cluj-Napoca in 2024 and quarterfinals at Charleston, Palermo, and Iasi. Overcoming a knee injury in 2022, she's made a strong comeback, even representing Romania in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Now poised to face off against Russia's 17th-ranked player, Daria Snigur, Cristian plans to carry this momentum into her next match. Meanwhile, Alexander Shvchenko, one of Kazakhstan's top male singles players, also bid farewell to the Rome tournament earlier.
Stay in the loop with the latest sports updates by subscribing to our Telegram channel @sportnurkz.
Yulia Putintseva, the Kazakhstan-based 29th-ranked tennis player, encountered Romanian opponent Jacqueline Cristian in the singles event at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome. Despite Putintseva's initial lead, demonstrating her grit with an ace and two break points, Cristian emerged victorious with a match score of 6:7 (2:7), 5:7. Cristian, a tenacious right-handed player, boasts a career prize money earnings exceeding $2 million and a WTA ranking within the top 100. After securing her victory over Putintseva, Cristian prepares to face Daria Snigur, Russia's 17th-ranked player, in her next match.
