World number one Aryna Sabalenka saw her hopes of winning a maiden French Open title shattered after a dramatic quarter-final defeat to Russia’s Diana Shnaider at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
Key Highlights:
Sabalenka appeared to be cruising into the semi-finals after claiming the opening set 6-3 and building a commanding 4-1 lead in the second. However, the Belarusian’s game suddenly unraveled as Shnaider mounted a remarkable comeback to secure a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory.
The 25th-seeded Russian, competing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final, produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by winning 12 of the final 13 games.
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Her victory ended Sabalenka’s bid for a first French Open crown and removed the last remaining Grand Slam singles champion from the women’s draw.
Sabalenka, who finished runner-up at Roland Garros last year, struggled badly with the windy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Known for her powerful baseline game, she committed 57 unforced errors as her performance deteriorated during the match.
Frustration became increasingly visible as the top seed reacted angrily to mistakes, gesturing toward her team and venting her emotions throughout the contest.
The collapse echoed last year’s French Open final defeat, when she squandered a one-set advantage against Coco Gauff after making a high number of unforced errors.
An emotional Shnaider admitted she was stunned by the result.
“I am speechless,” she said after the match. “She is the world number one, so I was just trying to do my best. I had to fight for every point.”
The victory sends Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semi-final, where she will face Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, who continued her surprise run by defeating fellow Russian Anna Kalinskaya earlier on Wednesday.
With Sabalenka’s exit, Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, the tournament’s eighth seed, becomes the highest-ranked player remaining in an increasingly unpredictable women’s draw.
The latest upset ensures that the 2026 French Open women’s competition will crown a champion from a field that has already witnessed several unexpected exits, setting up a fascinating conclusion to the tournament.
