French Open 2026: Shnaider Upsets Keys to Reach Quarterfinals as Chwalinska’s Dream Run Continues

Diana Shnaider reached the French Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career on Monday, defeating Madison Keys in three sets and keeping alive her run at Roland Garros. The 25th seed won 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in a match that shifted after Shnaider lost momentum in the second set but then dominated the decider, finishing it in just 26 minutes. Her victory sets up a last-eight clash with either Aryna Sabalenka or Naomi Osaka. Shnaider said it was a huge moment for her and expressed pride at reaching the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for the first time. The result also eliminated Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, leaving Sabalenka and Osaka as the only Grand Slam winners still in either singles draw at the French Open.

Shnaider’s breakthrough adds to a growing list of strong performances at majors, but her previous best result was a fourth-round appearance at the 2024 US Open. Her win came as part of a dramatic day in Paris that continued to reshape the women’s singles draw.

Earlier, Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska extended her surprising French Open run by advancing to the quarterfinals with a straight-sets victory over home favorite Diane Parry. The world No. 114 won 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier, ending French hopes in the singles competition. Chwalinska admitted she did not expect such a deep run when the tournament began and said she was grateful to still be competing in Paris.

The 24-year-old qualifier has now achieved the best Grand Slam result of her career. Before this tournament, she had won only one match in her two previous major appearances, both of which came at Wimbledon in 2022. Her path to the last eight now leads to a meeting with Russian 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya on Wednesday, with a place in the semifinals at stake.

Chwalinska’s progress is notable not only because of her ranking and qualifier status, but also because she has become the first qualifier to reach the women’s quarterfinals in Paris since Martina Trevisan and Nadia Podoroska did so in 2020. She said Kalinskaya would be a very difficult opponent and noted that few people know much about her, adding to the challenge ahead.

The French Open day marked a major breakthrough for Shnaider and a dream run for Chwalinska, as both players moved into the final eight of one of tennis’s biggest tournaments and altered the shape of the women’s draw at Roland Garros.