Aryna Sabalenka has suffered a major shock at Roland Garros, losing her quarterfinal against Diana Shnaider.
Top seed Sabalenka was heavily favored to lift the trophy in Paris, particularly following the exits of her main rivals.
But the WTA number one has just fallen to 25th seed Shnaider, who won their Philippe Chatrier encounter 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.
It was a stunning turnaround from the 22-year-old Russian, who now meets qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the Roland Garros semifinals.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka has just blown a fantastic chance to claim a fifth career Grand Slam title, with Tim Henman left completely stunned by her latest display.
Which loss was more surprising, Aryna Sabalenka or Jannik Sinner?
Sinner lost in R2, Sabalenka in the QF…
Tim Henman shocked by Aryna Sabalenka’s Roland Garros ‘meltdown’
Speaking live on TNT Sports, former British number one Henman said: “I am staggered. I am shocked.
“When you think about the first set and a half it wasn’t easy out there but it was Sabalenka in control.
“In the context of the world number one to lose 10 games in a row, she has had a meltdown out there but I think Shnaider deserves a lot of credit.
“She stayed in the rallies and made every ball when it wasn’t easy! It’s a lonely place.
“When you are out on your own and it’s a big stage and a big match, there’s nobody to turn to. There are no substitutes allowed.”
The pair battled it out for two hours and 12 minutes, with Sabalenka having really struggled with the windy conditions in Paris.
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How did Aryna Sabalenka perform against Diana Shnaider?
Much of the discussion surrounding the match will, of course, focus on Sabalenka, which is understandable given the nature of the defeat.
But as Henman mentioned, Shnaider certainly deserves plenty of praise for her outstanding performance against the four-time Grand Slam champion.
A doubles specialist, the 22-year-old has just produced the shock of the women’s draw, and arguably the shock of the entire tournament.
And it represents further heartbreak at the clay-court Grand Slam for Sabalenka, who was beaten in last year’s final by Coco Gauff.
| Aryna Sabalenka | Diana Shnaider | |
| 88 | Total points won | 100 |
| 46 | Winners | 25 |
| 57 | Unforced errors | 26 |
| 18 | Forced errors | 16 |
| 20/27 (74%) | Net points won | 7/11 (64%) |
Shnaider will now look to continue her momentum into the meeting with Chwalinska, who is also enjoying a dream run in the French capital.
After making it through Roland Garros qualifying, the 24-year-old has knocked out the likes of Qinwen Zheng and Maria Sakkari.
With Marta Kostyuk taking on Mirra Andreeva in the other semifinal, a new Grand Slam champion will be crowned this year, with the same scenario set to take place in the men’s draw.
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