Sorana Cirstea vs Elise Mertens Preview & Prediction | 2026 Miami Open | Third Round
by Alex Meechan ·
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Sorana Cirstea faces Elise Mertens in the third-round of the Miami Open.
Ranking points: WTA 1000
Start date/time:
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, USA
Surface: Outdoor hard
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Sorana Cirstea vs Elise Mertens ticket information
Sorana Cirstea vs Elise Mertens prediction
Sorana Cirstea got the better of Linda Noskova for a second time this season as she advanced to the third-round of the Miami Open. This was already their third meeting of 2026, with Noskova beating the Romanian on her way to reaching the semi-finals of Indian Wells in their last event. This was yet another tight match, with Cirstea breaking at the start of the decider and crucially saving two break points in the sixth game as she won 6-2 3-6 6-4.
Cirstea, who will retire at the end of the year, is now set to face Elise Mertens in the next stage of the competition. The Belgian made it through her second-round match after a comprehensive win over Elvina Kalieva. Mertens wasn’t broken on serve and won the final seven games as she recorded a 6-2 6-0 victory over the world number 154.
Cirstea leads the WTA head-to-head 2-0, though they have not faced each other on a hard court since 2018. The Romanian has performed well so far this season, having won a title at the Transylvania Open, and she is certainly worth a set here.
Sorana Cirstea vs Elise Mertens tip: Both players to win a set
