Tennis star Sorana Cirstea said on Saturday night that an unknown thief stole a trophy from her while she was playing in the U.S. Open.
Before coming to New York for the Open, Cirstea won a smaller tournament in Cleveland. With no time in between, she brought the trophy to New York.
“Whoever stole my Cleveland trophy from room 314 at The Fifty Sonesta please give it back!” Cirstea wrote on Instagram. “It has NO material value, just sentimental value! It would be [greatly] appreciated! Thanks, Sorana.”
The hotel, located in Midtown, did not immediately comment on the theft, nor did police.
Instagram / soranacirstea
Sorana Cirstea pleaded for the return of the trophy in an Instagram post Saturday. (Instagram / soranacirstea)
Cirstea, 35, of Romania, lost Thursday in the second round of the women’s singles draw to No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova. She also played doubles with Anna Kalinskaya, but they lost in the first round Friday afternoon to American duo Peyton Stearns and McCartney Kessler.
Though Cirstea has been on the WTA Tour for more than a decade, the Cleveland title was only the third of her career. She defeated American Ann Li 6-2, 6-4 in the final to claim the now-stolen trophy.
“It’s been a special week for me,” Cirstea said after winning. “I really just came here to play some matches with absolutely zero expectations.”
Prior to the Cleveland title, Cirstea won a 2021 tournament in Istanbul and a 2008 championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, early in her career.
With News Wire Services
