In a surprising turn of events at the French Open, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka faced a tough defeat in the quarterfinals against Diana Shnaider. Despite leading with a set and two breaks, Sabalenka lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-0, marking another missed opportunity for her first French Open title.
Sabalenka, a four-time major winner, was visibly frustrated as she let a 4-1 lead in the second set slip away. Serving for the match at 5-4, she was two points from victory but ultimately lost 12 of the last 13 games. This defeat echoes her previous loss to Coco Gauff in last year’s final, where she also struggled with unforced errors after winning the first set.
After the match, Sabalenka expressed her disappointment, stating, “Just want to quit tennis right now.” She hopes to regain her mental focus in the coming days. Her emotional response included a desire to vent her frustrations, saying, “Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff.”
Shnaider’s Triumph
Diana Shnaider, who was playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, will now face Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals. Shnaider’s victory was marked by her ability to stay focused and fight for every point, despite Sabalenka’s emotional display on the court.
Shnaider commented on Sabalenka’s visible frustration, acknowledging her as a very emotional player. “I feel like I was trying to focus point by point. Not thinking about the score,” Shnaider said after her win.
Men’s Quarterfinals Update
In the men’s quarterfinals, Italian players Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Arnaldi advanced to face each other for a spot in the final. Cobolli defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Arnaldi progressed after Matteo Berrettini retired due to a hip injury.
This year’s French Open has seen several upsets, with defending champion Coco Gauff and four-time winner Iga Swiatek already out of the tournament. Notably, this is the first major since 1977 without a former champion in either the men’s or women’s semifinals.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
