Aryna Sabalenka expressed a desire to “quit tennis” following a devastating defeat in the quarter-finals of the French Open, where she suffered a significant meltdown, losing ten consecutive games and ultimately falling to Diana Shnaider, the 25th seed, with a score of 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.
During her post-match press conference, when prompted to share her feelings, Sabalenka stated, “No thoughts, no emotions. Just want to quit tennis right now,” while shrugging her shoulders. She added, “We’ll see in a few days. Hopefully, I’ll get back on track mentally.”
For the first 90 minutes of her 14th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final, it appeared that the world number one would seamlessly progress to the next round. Despite challenging, windy conditions and some initial nerves in the opening set, she maintained control and built a commanding lead of 6-3, 4-1, 30-0, seemingly on the brink of victory.
However, Sabalenka’s performance took a dramatic turn as she became increasingly tense, unable to play freely. In stark contrast, Shnaider showcased remarkable resilience, advancing to her first Grand Slam semi-final.
At a pivotal moment in the second set, with the score at 5-4 and 30-30, Sabalenka was just two points away from reaching her 13th semi-final in her last 14 Grand Slam appearances. As the only remaining player in the draw with a substantial track record in major tournaments, she was the favorite to secure her first title at the French Open.
Despite her impressive consistency and development over the years, Sabalenka has often struggled with nerves during critical moments. Her recent collapse in last year’s final against Coco Gauff, while notable, did not compare to the level of surrender she displayed in this match.
Additionally, she directed some of her frustration towards the tournament organizers, arguing that the roof should have been closed due to the worsening windy conditions. “I don’t understand why they kept it open. Even when I was leading, the game was quite chaotic. I don’t know how anyone could enjoy watching me play under such circumstances,” she noted.
Shnaider acknowledged that Sabalenka’s previous loss to Gauff lingered in her mind as she fought to regain momentum. “I watched that match; I knew it was very windy. So, I kept thinking about how she struggled against Coco last year. I knew I had to seize this opportunity and make the necessary adjustments,” she explained.
Shortly after Sabalenka left Court Philippe Chatrier, the roof was closed for the second set of the men’s semi-final between Félix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli.
While Sabalenka’s performance in the match’s latter stages was shocking, Shnaider executed her game plan flawlessly. Once Sabalenka began to falter, Shnaider tightened her gameplay, engaging her opponent in lengthy rallies and effectively managing the heavy conditions while absorbing Sabalenka’s power.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Shnaider, a talented 22-year-old who has been ranked within the top 20 for nearly two years but struggled to make a substantial impact at major tournaments. Now, she has earned a chance to compete for a Grand Slam title in a field of emerging players.
Shnaider’s next opponent will be the surprising qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who defeated 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya to advance. Ranked No. 114 in the WTA, Chwalinska has never broken into the top 100 and had only one Grand Slam main draw victory prior to this tournament. Despite not facing a top-20 opponent, the Polish player has enjoyed a remarkable run in Paris, winning eight matches and dropping only one set.
At 24, Chwalinska is the oldest among the four semi-finalists. In the other half of the draw, 19-year-old eighth seed Mirra Andreeva, who is Shnaider’s doubles partner, will face Marta Kostyuk, the 15th seed, in a match featuring players from Russia and Ukraine.
In light of her disappointing exit, Sabalenka appeared initially uncertain about how to recover. However, after some reflection, she offered a potential solution. “By the way, I just figured out how I can cope with this,” she said with a smile. “You know those rooms where you go in and smash everything? I might spend all day tomorrow just destroying things. Maybe it will help, maybe not.”
