E43 - Sorana Cirstea

Solana Cirstea spent 20 years chasing the biggest dreams in tennis — No.1, Grand Slams, perfection. Now, she opens up about pressure, regret, joy, and why 2026 will be her final year… One of the rawest mindset conversations ever on Tennis Insider Club. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS 01:40 – How her father pushed her into tennis from age 4 05:10 – Becoming a top junior and breaking into WTA at 16 07:20 – The crash after the French Open quarterfinal run 10:00 – Struggling with expectations & “learning how to lose” 11:50 – The injury that changed everything at 25 13:10 – Shifting from results obsession to joy & process 17:00 – Why knowing “why you play” changes everything 23:00 – Handling wins/losses: staying emotionally steady 25:00 – Discovering balance, friendships & life outside tennis 33:30 – Playing through pain & the mental toll 35:00 – Why 2026 will be her final season 37:00 – Making peace with not becoming No.1 43:00 – “What you’re complaining about is someone’s dream” 54:00 – Juniors vs pros: the myth of early success 56:00 – School, development & advice for parents 58:30 – Generational changes on tour 01:02:00 – How the game evolved & the new WTA level If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, drop a like, and share your thoughts in the comments. Which part of Sorana’s story resonated the most with you? This episode is presented in partnership with Hologic, global leader in women’s health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.