Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the French Open on a blustery Wednesday at Roland Garros, as Diana Shnaider staged a spirited comeback to defeat the world No. 1 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 and further open up the draw heading into the semifinals.
The upset adds to a tournament already defined by surprises, with defending champion Coco Gauff and four-time winner Iga Swiatek both exiting earlier than expected. Sabalenka’s defeat delivered another major shake-up in a field that has repeatedly been turned upside down.
With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic also bowing out early, it marks the first time since the 1977 Roland Garros that no Grand Slam champions will feature in the semifinals of a major.
"No thoughts, no emotions. I just want to quit tennis now," a downbeat Sabalenka told reporters after her defeat. "We'll see in a few days. Hopefully I'll get back on track mentally.
"I don't know when was the last time that happened to me that I lost 10 games in a row. I guess mentally I got into a very deep, dark hole there, and I just couldn't get back on track."
