Tessa Lee, Sports journalist reporting on global leagues since 2021.
Aryna Sabalenka French Open hopes ended in dramatic fashion after the world number one suffered a stunning quarterfinal collapse against Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka led by a set and held a commanding advantage in the second before losing the final 10 games of the match to fall 3 6, 7 5, 6 0 at Roland Garros. The defeat matters because it extends Sabalenka wait for a Grand Slam title away from hard courts and raises new questions about her struggles handling pressure on clay.
Sabalenka entered the match as one of the favourites for the title after another strong season.
She appeared firmly in control after winning the opening set and building a 4 1 lead in the second.
At 5 4, serving for victory, she moved within two points of a semifinal place.
Instead, the momentum shifted completely.
Shnaider seized control late in the second set before dominating the decider.
Sabalenka admits she wanted to quit
The loss left Sabalenka visibly emotional after the match.
Speaking to reporters, the Belarusian admitted she struggled to process the collapse.
“No thoughts, no emotions, just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said.
“But we’ll see in a few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.”
Sabalenka acknowledged that the turning point came when she failed to close out the second set.
“I screwed up, and then she stepped in, and she played great.”
The four time Grand Slam champion admitted she never mentally recovered after missing her opportunity.
“I don’t know the last time I lost 10 games in a row.”
She described entering what she called a deep dark hole mentally during the deciding stages.
Wind and conditions become major talking point
The difficult conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier became one of the major stories of the match.
Strong winds repeatedly disrupted rallies, blew clay across the court, and made shot making difficult for both players.
Sabalenka questioned why tournament officials kept the roof open despite the conditions.
“I don’t know why would they keep the roof open when it was crazy windy,” she said.
The world number one admitted the conditions were difficult throughout the match even when she was leading.
“Even though I was winning, it was dirty tennis.”
Shnaider shared similar feelings.
The Russian said she expected the roof to remain closed after warming up indoors.
“I was a little bit surprised with that decision,” Shnaider said.
Still, she focused on adapting faster than her opponent.
“I tried to keep reminding myself that it’s the same conditions for both of us.”
Shnaider uses previous Sabalenka struggles as motivation
Shnaider revealed after the match that she remembered Sabalenka previous difficulties in windy conditions.
Last year Sabalenka received criticism after her French Open final defeat when she heavily focused on conditions and her own performance.
Shnaider said that history remained in her mind during the match.
“Of course, I knew in the final last year it was super windy,” Shnaider explained.
“I had that thought in the back of my mind.”
The Russian believed that if she stayed composed while conditions remained difficult, opportunities would eventually come.
Her decision paid off.
After breaking Sabalenka resistance late in the second set, Shnaider dominated the final set without dropping a game.
Clay and grass continue to frustrate Sabalenka
Despite being one of the most dominant players in women tennis, Sabalenka has won all four of her Grand Slam titles on hard courts.
She admitted after the defeat that expectations surrounding clay and grass success may be affecting her mentally.
“I really feel great on clay. I feel great on grass,” Sabalenka said.
“I don’t know, maybe I’m focusing too much that I’ve never won a slam on each surface.”
The world number one believes overthinking may be contributing to emotional swings during difficult moments.
She acknowledged frustration with repeatedly losing matches because of emotional reactions rather than purely tennis factors.
Surprise semifinal lineup takes shape
Shnaider now moves into her maiden Grand Slam semifinal where she will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska.
Chwalińska continued her remarkable run by defeating Anna Kalinskaya 7 6, 6 3.
The qualifier has already earned more prize money from this tournament than during the rest of her professional career combined.
Despite the significance of her run, Chwalińska said she remains focused only on the next match.
“I honestly don’t feel like it’s a huge moment for me,” she said.
For Sabalenka, attention now turns toward recovering mentally before the grass court season begins.
She joked that her immediate solution may involve something less conventional.
“You know those rooms where you just go in and smash everything? I’ll probably spend the whole day there tomorrow destroying stuff.”