World No. 1 Sabalenka suffers stunning comeback defeat and is eliminated from Roland Garros
Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, was eliminated in the Roland Garros quarterfinals on Wednesday, June 3, after suffering a three-set comeback loss to Russia’s Diana Shnaider. The match ended 3-6, 7-5, 6-0, with Shnaider producing the biggest Grand Slam victory of her career.
Sabalenka appeared to be in full control early on. She played at a high level in the opening set and took it 6-3, then built a two-break lead in the second set, moving within reach of a comfortable place in the semifinals. At that stage, the top seed looked set to continue her run with little trouble.
But the match changed dramatically under the windy conditions in Paris. Sabalenka lost her rhythm as Shnaider found her footing and began to turn the contest around. The Russian rallied strongly in the second set, winning five of the final six games to level the match and force a deciding third set.
From there, Shnaider took complete control. She dominated the final set 6-0, shutting down Sabalenka’s comeback hopes and sealing the most significant win of her career at a major tournament. The result marked a major upset against the tournament favorite and one of the strongest players in women’s tennis.
Sabalenka’s exit further opens up the women’s draw at Roland Garros, which has already seen several other favorites fall during the competition. With the world No. 1 out, the race for the title becomes even more unpredictable as the tournament moves into its final stages.
For Shnaider, the victory represents a breakthrough moment on one of tennis’s biggest stages. Defeating the top-ranked player in the world after dropping the first set and recovering from a deficit in the second showed both resilience and composure under pressure. Her performance will likely draw attention heading into the next round, where she will continue her surprising run in Paris.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, leaves the French Open with a painful quarterfinal defeat after coming so close to control of the match. Her loss underscores how quickly momentum can shift in Grand Slam tennis, especially in difficult weather conditions like those experienced in Paris on Wednesday.
