Aryna Sabalenka suffered one of the most dramatic collapses of her career at the French Open, losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 to 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals after winning the first set and leading by a break in the second. The world No. 1 was two points away from victory at 5-4, 30-30 in the second set, but then lost control of the match and dropped 10 straight games as the tension appeared to overwhelm her. After the defeat, Sabalenka admitted she was emotionally shattered, saying she wanted “to quit tennis right now” and explaining that she had fallen into a “very deep, deep, dark hole” mentally.
For much of the match, Sabalenka looked set to extend her impressive record in major quarter-finals and continue toward a first French Open title. She had been the last player in the draw to have reached a Grand Slam semi-final, and her consistency throughout the season had made her the clear favorite. But windy conditions and a growing sense of pressure affected her level, and her game became increasingly erratic as Shnaider steadied herself and raised her intensity.
Shnaider, a 22-year-old Russian, produced a composed and disciplined performance to claim the biggest win of her career and reach her first Grand Slam semi-final. Once Sabalenka began to unravel, Shnaider handled the difficult conditions better, extending rallies, absorbing pace, and keeping her shots deep to prevent Sabalenka from regaining control. The victory marked a significant breakthrough for a player who had been highly regarded but had not yet made a major impact at the biggest events.
Sabalenka also criticized the tournament organisers, arguing that the roof should have been closed because of the strong wind, and said the match had been difficult to watch and even more difficult to play. Shnaider later said she had been aware of Sabalenka’s struggles in last year’s French Open final against Coco Gauff and believed that memory gave her confidence that the top seed could be unsettled again under similar conditions.
Shnaider will now face qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals. Chwalinska, ranked No. 114 in the world, has enjoyed a remarkable run in Paris and has reached her first Grand Slam semi-final after upsetting 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya. In the other semi-final, 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva will meet Marta Kostyuk, ensuring that the women’s draw at Roland Garros will produce a first-time Grand Slam finalist and ultimately a new champion.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, was left searching for a way to recover from the disappointment. She said she might spend time in one of the tournament’s practice rooms smashing balls to help release the frustration, though she admitted she was not sure whether it would help.
