World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka squandered a commanding lead as Diana Shnaider pulled off the biggest win of her career at Roland Garros.
Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open title hopes came to a dramatic end after she suffered a shock quarter-final defeat to Russia’s Diana Shnaider at Roland Garros.
The top seed looked in complete control after winning the first set 6-3 and taking a 4-1 lead in the second. However, Shnaider staged a remarkable comeback, winning 12 of the next 13 games to secure a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory and book her place in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time.
Shnaider, seeded 25th, said she focused on fighting for every point despite facing the world’s top-ranked player. The 22-year-old gradually found her rhythm in difficult windy conditions and capitalised on a series of errors from Sabalenka.
The defeat is another painful setback for Sabalenka at Roland Garros, where she was chasing her first French Open title. Windy conditions appeared to disrupt her aggressive playing style, with her powerful groundstrokes becoming increasingly unreliable as the match progressed.
Shnaider’s breakthrough victory leaves the women’s draw wide open as Roland Garros heads into its decisive stages.
