03 June,2026 10:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Aryna Sabalenka (Pic: AFP)
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka collapsed dramatically at the French Open on Wednesday, throwing away a one-set and double-break advantage to lose 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 to Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, looked comfortably on course for victory with a 4-1 lead in the second set. She was just two points away from wrapping up the match while serving at 5-4, but her game completely unravelled against Shnaider, who was competing in her very first major quarterfinal.
The top seed's frustration boiled over in the final set as she stood motionless and yelled out in anger after dropping a point to slide 0-30 behind in the sixth game. The tense meltdown mirrored her performance in last year's final defeat to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.
Speaking after her win, Shnaider expressed her delight and said this Roland Garros run has been a 'dream'.
"Well, honestly, I am speechless. Super happy. I feel like I was trying to focus point by point. Not thinking about the score. She is the world No. 1, so I am just trying to do my best. I just had to fight for every point." Shnaider said after her win.
Aryna Sabalenka's exit adds to a string of major upsets in the French Open this year, following early departures from defending champion Gauff in the third round and four-time winner Iga Swiatek in the fourth round. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were knocked out early in the men's side of the draw too.
Earlier in the day, Maja Chwalinska extended her sensational storybook run at Roland Garros by dispatching 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (3), 6-3.
The unseeded Chwalinska, who had to fight through three gruelling rounds of qualifying just to enter the main draw, made history by joining Swiatek as only the second Polish woman to reach the semifinals in Paris.
"I don't process it, you know. But definitely after the tournament finishes, I will have time to be grateful for what happened and process it as well." Chwalinska said.
Before this remarkable fortnight, Chwalinska had never progressed past the second round of any Grand Slam event.
(With AP inputs)
