Imagine the gut punch for tennis star Sorana Cirstea. The Romanian player found herself facing a real downer during her time in New York for the US Open 2025. Her hard-won trophy from a recent tournament vanished right from her hotel room.
She took to Instagram on Saturday, August 30, with a heartfelt plea. “Whoever stole my Cleveland trophy from room 314 @thefiftysonesta, please, please return it!” the 35-year-old wrote. “It has no material value, only sentimental! I would appreciate it so much! Thank you, Sorana.”
The trophy was reportedly taken from The Fifty Sonesta Hotel New York, right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Reports indicate a prominent news channel reached out to the hotel and local police for their side of the story. The hotel’s general manager later told CBS News that they are “in close communication” with Cirstea. He added that their security chief, a retired New York Police Department detective, is personally watching over the investigation.
This particular trophy held huge meaning for Cirstea, currently ranked number 41 in women’s tennis. She earned it just days earlier, on Sunday, August 24, at the Tennis in the Land tournament. There, she triumphed over American player Ann Li with a score of 6-2, 6-4. This win was a big deal: it marked her third Women’s Tennis Association singles title, and her first in four long years.
Her time at the US Open 2025 itself was a bit of a mixed bag. In the singles competition, Cirstea fell to Karolina Muchova in the second round on Thursday, August 28. Then, in doubles, she and her partner, Anna Kalinskaya, lost their first-round match to Americans McCartney Kessler and Peyton Stearns on Friday, August 29.
Luckily, this story has a silver lining. After Cirstea shared her sad news online, the Tennis in the Land tournament quickly stepped in. “We can’t let you go home without any trophy!” the tournament posted on Instagram the next day, Sunday. They even tagged an awards and clothing brand, promising to “make things right” for Cirstea. She later shared this heartwarming message on her own Instagram story on Monday, September 1, adding three red heart emojis.
Just the previous weekend, the tennis star was beaming, celebrating her big Cleveland win on Instagram. She posted a photo holding the very trophy that went missing. “Thank you @tennisintheland @wta for the wonderful week,” she wrote on August 24. “This title made me very happy ☺️❤️🎾🏆.”
Her words after beating Li showed just how much that win meant. She thanked the fans for their support, saying she felt “welcome” and “loved the city and the atmosphere.” Cirstea explained how relaxed she felt on court, truly enjoying every moment. “I really wanted to stay here as long as possible, so I’m very happy I managed that,” she added. “It’s been a special week for me. I really just came here to play some matches, with no expectations.” It goes to show, some things are just priceless.