Down goes No. 1 — and in spectacular fashion.
Aryna Sabalenka had a stunning meltdown in the French Open quarterfinals on Wednesday morning, losing to Russia’s Diana Shnaider after holding a commanding lead.
Sabalenka was up a set and 5-3 in the second — one game from a spot in the semifinals — when her game completely unraveled in the windy Paris conditions.
“Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.”
Aryna Sabalenka upset in the French Open quarterfinals. Getty ImagesSchnaider would win the next 10 games for a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory on Philippe-Chatrier.
Despite her lead in the second set, Sabalenka remained frustrated as her game deteriorated before it all came apart.
“You know those rooms where you just go in and you smash everything,” Sabalenka said. “Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it will help, maybe not.”
Shnaider, 22, is Russian-born and played her college tennis at NC State. In a tournament that has been filled with upsets, Shnaider will now face 114th-ranked qualifier Maja Chwalińska in a semifinal matchup no one would have predicted.
Shnaider has won five singles titles and three doubles titles on the professional tour. She also won a silver medal in the women’s doubles tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Mirra Andreeva.
Diana Schnaider celebrates the win. AFP via Getty ImagesShnaider’s career-high ranking is world No. 11, achieved last May, and her current ranking is world No. 25.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, has won two Australian Open titles and two U.S. Open titles, and has been world No. 1 for a total of 85 weeks throughout her career. Sabalenka had not dropped a set in the first four rounds of this Grand Slam event
The 2026 French Open has been chock full of upsets and drama. Poland’s Iga Świątek, a four-time champion in Paris and a six-time major champion overall, was knocked out in the fourth round by Marta Kostyuk. Meanwhile, 2025 champion Coco Gauff lost in the third round to Anastasia Potapova.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts during women’s singles quarterfinal match against Diana Shnaider on the eleventh day of the French Open at Philippe-Chatrier Court in Paris, France, on June 3, 2026. Anadolu via Getty ImagesShnaider will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska in the semifinals tomorrow morning in her quest for her first career spot in a major final. With Sabalenka’s defeat, there will be a first-time major champion crowned on Philippe-Chatrier on Saturday.
Kostyuk and Andreeva — the favorite now as the No. 8 seed — will play in the other semifinal.
