Thomas Johansson was intrigued when Darren Cahill suggested he work with Sorana Cirstea, one of the underdogs of the 2023 US Open women’s singles draw.
Here was Cirstea, a talented player from Romania who had made deep runs at big events in the past. Yet, to Johansson, she had never put it all together and reached her full potential on a consistent basis.
“She’s very talented and she has weapons all over the place. Her problem has not been the tennis. It’s been the mental side of the game,” Johansson said.
In Cirstea, who counts Cahill as a longtime mentor, Johansson saw a bit of himself. The Swede won the 2002 Australian Open men’s singles title and reached No. 7 in the world. But when he retired in 2009 because of injuries, Johansson left thinking that he played with too much emotion on the court.
“Players knew that when I was on, I could beat anyone. But they also knew that when I dropped my head a little bit, I could lose to anyone as well,” Johansson said. “I made my mistakes, and it’s my job to try to avoid her to make the same mistakes.”
"She has all the tools that you need. Now we just need to continue to work hard."
The two started working together in October when Cirstea’s ranking was in the high 30s. Now she’s set to jump into the Top 30. And on Sunday, she’ll play for a spot in only the second Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career against 15th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
“She has all the tools that you need. Now we just need to continue to work hard. Continue to be strong. Continue to be quick. And continue to be calm on the court as well,” Johansson said. “If you reach the second week of a Slam, anything can happen.”
Fourteen years ago, as a 19-year-old, Cirstea made her only other Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2009 Roland Garros. That same year, she finished inside the Top 50 for the second consecutive season.
But since then, Cirstea, now 33, like any player, has had her peaks and valleys. She has reached the second week of Grand Slams three different times and secured 20 wins over Top-10 players. But she’s never cracked the Top 20 of the rankings or reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
By the same token, unlike countless players, Cirstea has persisted and enjoyed a long career on the WTA.
“It’s special what I've been able to achieve, being here for so many years and the longevity of my career,” Cirstea said. “Tennis definitely has changed, and I'm happy to say that I've changed with the tennis as well.”
With Johansson, Cirstea has changed once more. She’s working on staying more present in the moment and fully working the point rather than playing too emotionally and going for a winner too quickly.
As Johansson said, “Don't look so much in the past, don't look ahead too much. Be present. Work point for point.”
Her new mindset was on full display on Friday night when she upset former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in three sets in front of a rowdy crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Cirstea was close to ending the match in two, yet didn’t get too down on herself and finished off the upset in three sets.
“Everybody could see [Friday] what kind of work she’s done and how mature she was on the court, even though it was a lot of pressure, it was a lot of people, it was a big match,” Johansson said. “She has matured a lot and hopefully this win [Friday] can help her a lot, not only for this tournament but also for the rest of the year.”
Cirstea is grateful for the collaboration and the work they’ve put in.
“Tennis definitely has changed, and I'm happy to say that I've changed with the tennis as well.”
“He improved my game so much from all points of view and also mentally,” she said. “He’s been trying to make me smarter on the court and also have more options, to be able to stay with everyone and also adapt to everyone’s game. I think that was the biggest key and also winning matches when I'm not playing well. He’s been great at that and I think we’re working wonderfully together.”
The feeling has been mutual as Johansson, who also has coached Caroline Wozniacki and Greece’s Maria Sakkari, has enjoyed the partnership on- and off-the-court.
The 30th-seeded Cirstea may not be the favorite of the 2023 US Open, nor the favorite in her fourth-round match against Bencic. But that’s exactly how Johansson and the veteran player prefer it.
“We are a little bit of an underdog here,” Johansson said, “and we like that.”
