World no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been knocked out of the French Open following a dramatic quarter-final defeat to Russia’s Diana Shnaider at Roland Garros.
Sabalenka took the opening set 6-3 and led 4-1 in the second, but Shnaider staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.
The Russian left-hander won 10 consecutive games to turn the match around and secure a place in the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
Shnaider, seeded 25th, will now face Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, a qualifier playing in her first French Open.
The result marks one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, with Sabalenka widely considered one of the leading contenders for the title.
The Belarusian struggled in the deciding set, failing to win a single game as momentum fully shifted in favour of her opponent.
With Sabalenka’s exit, the women’s draw has opened up significantly following earlier eliminations of major names including Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
On the men’s side, a similar pattern has emerged, with several top contenders and former champions including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic all exiting the tournament at various stages.
As a result, this year’s French Open is set to produce first-time Grand Slam champions in both the men’s and women’s singles draws.
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