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And that will be enough for Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros.
The world’s No. 1 player withdrew from the French Open on Wednesday in surprising fashion after appearing to be advancing toward the Grand Slam semifinals.
After winning the first set against Russia’s Diana Shnaider 6-3, Sabalenka took a 5-3 lead in the second set, needing to win just one game to punch her ticket to the semifinals. The match seemed completely decided for the Belarusian, but then came the shocking collapse.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts during the women’s singles quarterfinal match against Diana Shnaider on the eleventh day of the French Open at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris, France, on June 3, 2026. (Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Shnaider somehow managed to rally and take the second set 7-5, and with every ounce of momentum on her side, she faced the best player on the planet in the decisive third set and didn’t lose a single game.
One of the key turning points of the match came in a deuce situation in the second game of the third set, with Sabalenka holding serve.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts against Diana Shnaider during their women’s singles quarterfinal match on day eleven of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2026, in Paris, France. (Dan Istitane/Getty Images)
After Sabalenka managed to get a forehand over the net, Shnaider grabbed the ball and left his opponent completely off guard at the service line. The four-time Grand Slam winner was shocked by Shnaider’s shot and simply threw her hands in the air in disbelief.
Shnaider, who played collegiately at NC State before turning professional in 2023, will play in the first Grand Slam semifinal of her career against Poland’s Maja Chwalinska.
The Russian, ranked 23rd in the world, will be the favourite, with a place in the final at stake, while Chwalinska is ranked outside the top 100.
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Aryna Sabalenka reacts as she is on track to be defeated by Diana Shnaider in their quarterfinal match during day eleven of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2026, in Paris, France. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
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While Shnaider’s victory over Sabalenka is a profound surprise, shocking results have been the theme of the 2026 French Open.
On the men’s side, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner lost in the second round to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo despite winning the first two sets of the match.
The top-seeded player remaining on the women’s side is No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, while No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev is the favorite to win the men’s side ahead of their semifinal showdown.
