SouthernWorldwide.com – Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked player, experienced a stunning collapse at Roland Garros, exiting the French Open in a dramatic fashion.
Sabalenka, who appeared to be on track for the semifinals, lost to Russia’s Diana Shnaider in a match that took a surprising turn. After winning the first set 6-3, Sabalenka held a 5-3 lead in the second, needing only one more game to secure her spot in the next round.
The match seemed firmly in the Belarusian’s control. However, Shnaider mounted an incredible comeback, winning the second set 7-5. With all the momentum on her side, Shnaider then dominated the deciding third set, winning every game to complete the upset.
A pivotal moment occurred in the second game of the third set while Sabalenka was serving. In a deuce situation, Shnaider managed to return a forehand from Sabalenka with a shot that left the world No. 1 completely flat-footed. Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, could only react with disbelief, throwing her hands up in the air.
Shnaider, who previously played collegiate tennis at NC State before turning professional in 2023, will now advance to her first Grand Slam semifinal. She is set to face Poland’s Maja Chwalinska.
The Russian, currently ranked 23rd in the world, will enter her semifinal match as the favorite. Chwalinska, on the other hand, is ranked outside the top 100.
This unexpected outcome for Sabalenka is not the only major upset at the 2026 French Open. The tournament has seen several surprising results across both the men’s and women’s draws.
In the men’s singles, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was eliminated in the second round. He lost to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, despite winning the first two sets of their match.
Following these upsets, the highest-seeded player remaining in the women’s draw is No. 8 Mirra Andreeva. On the men’s side, No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev is now considered the favorite to win the title ahead of his upcoming semifinal contest.
