Aryna Sabalenka suffered a major 2026 French Open upset on Wednesday, completely rattling the women's draw at Roland Garros.
The world No. 1 was beaten by No. 23 Diana Shnaider in a dramatic three-set battle. Despite being a heavy title favorite, Sabalenka lost the match 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 after experiencing what she described as a mental collapse.
"Mentally I got into very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn't get back on track," Sabalenka said in her postmatch press conference.
While she expressed optimism that she could get "back on track mentally" before her next major WTA tournament, she admitted wanting to "quit tennis right now."
Diana Shnaider Triggers Aryna Sabalenka's Roland Garros Skid
Early on, the match looked like another routine victory for the four-time Grand Slam winner.
Sabalenka dominated the opening stretch, cruising to a comfortable 6-3, 4-1 lead. However, that was when the momentum shifted.
Windy conditions surrounding the open-roof Court Philippe Chatrier wreaked havoc on the 2025 French Open runner-up's power forehand. She grew visibly frustrated, battling both the elements and her own baseline game as she committed 57 unforced errors.
Shnaider, to her credit, took full advantage of her opponent's struggles.
Playing in her very first Grand Slam quarterfinal, the 22-year-old Russian showed composure. She countered the heavy-hitting Sabalenka with consistency, reeling off 12 of the final 13 games.
"Honestly I am speechless," Shnaider said postmatch. "She is the world number one, so I was just trying to do my best. I had to fight for every point."
Where to Watch the 2026 French Open Semifinals
Shnaider will next face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska, after the Roland Garros debutant handed Anna Kalinskaya her own surprise defeat in Wednesday's quarterfinals.
With top seeds like Sabalenka, No. 4 Coco Gauff, and No. 3 Iga Świątek all out of the running, this marks the first French Open without a former men's or women's Grand Slam champion in the semifinals since 1977.
Shnaider's semifinal clash with Chwalińska starts tomorrow at 10 AM ET, live on TNT.
