A downbeat Aryna Sabalenka says she feels like she “wants to quit tennis” following her shock French Open quarter-final defeat to Diana Shnaider on Wednesday.
The world No 1, who has never won the title at Roland-Garros, became an enormous favourite for the trophy with defending champion Coco Gauff, four-time champion Iga Swiatek and 2026 Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina already knocked out, only to suffer an improbable exit herself.
Sabalenka was a set and double break up against 22-year-old Shnaider in Paris, but from a position of 6-3 5-3 in front, she failed to win another game in a stunning 3-6 7-5 6-0 collapse.
“No thoughts, no emotions. I just want to quit tennis right now, but we’ll see in a few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally,” Sabalenka said at her post-match press conference.
“I feel I had very decent opportunities in the second set. I screwed up, and then she stepped in and she played great.
“I feel mentally I couldn’t really recover after the second set. I think that was the biggest mistake from me.
Sabalenka clinched the first set 6-3 – having been 5-1 ahead – and then was a double break up in the second at 4-1 before the match turned
“I don’t know when the last time was that I lost 10 games in a row. I guess mentally I got into a very deep, dark hole over there and I just couldn’t get back on track mentally.
“I actually have to step back and try to find a solution, because I just am so tired of me losing some matches not in the best way just because I was overemotional.”
With Shnaider tenaciously failing to give up on any point, Sabalenka’s frustration and errors increased
For Sabalenka, her struggles were reminiscent of last year’s final against Gauff, as she remonstrated loudly, shouting to herself and glaring at her team box before ultimately losing the contest.
“I have been through so many things, and I overcome so many things,” she said. “I just have to figure that little thing that is not working for me sometimes, and hopefully I can overcome it.
“I don’t know [how I will bounce back]. I don’t know. I don’t know.
“You know those rooms where you go in and smash everything? Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff.”
Sabalenka’s defeat means her search for a maiden French Open title goes on
‘I don’t understand why roof was left open – but I can’t complain’
A factor in the contest allied to Sabalenka’s increasing frustration and error count – in addition to Shnaider’s tenacity and determination – was a strong wind at the Paris venue.
Sabalenka says she feels the roof should have been closed at Court Philippe-Chatrier, given the conditions.
“That’s another question – I don’t know why they would keep the roof open when it was crazy windy,” she said.
“But how can I complain if for almost the whole match everything was working okay for me, and then it just slipped away?
“I feel like it was getting crazy maybe just because mentally I wasn’t really okay. I remember even from last year they kept the roof open for us, and then the next day, in similar conditions, they closed it for the men – to make better conditions and better quality of tennis, I believe.
“I don’t know why they would keep it open. Even though I was winning, it was very dirty tennis. I don’t know how people could actually sit there and watch. And then at some point she stepped in and played unbelievable.”
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