World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka committed 57 unforced errors and lost the final 10 games of her Roland Garros quarterfinal as she was upset by Diana Schnaider 3-6 7-5 6-0. Reflecting on the tough loss, the Belarusian admitted she had fallen into a “very deep, dark hole” mentally.
Sabalenka appeared firmly in control of the contest after taking the opening set and building a commanding 4-1 lead in the second. However, the match turned dramatically from that point onward, with Schnaider seizing the initiative and never looking back.
Competing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, the 25th-seeded Russian produced a remarkable turnaround, storming to victory by winning 12 of the final 13 games.
After the defeat, Sabalenka acknowledged how difficult it was to halt the slide once it began.
“I don’t know when was the last time that I lost 10 games in a row,” she said. “Mentally I got into very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn’t get back on track.”
The defeat sent shockwaves through the tournament. As the only remaining Grand Slam singles champion in the women’s draw, Sabalenka had been widely regarded as the overwhelming favorite for the title.
The manner of the loss also echoed her painful defeat in last year’s Roland Garros final, when she let a one-set lead slip against Coco Gauff while amassing 67 unforced errors. Asked how she felt in the immediate aftermath of the latest setback, the Belarusian replied: “No thoughts, no emotions. Just want to quit tennis right now. We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.”
Schnaider will next face qualifier Maja Chwalinska for a place in the final after the Pole upset Anna Kalinskaya earlier on Wednesday. In the other semifinal on Thursday, Schnaider’s doubles partner Mirra Andreeva, now the highest-ranked player remaining in the draw, will take on the in-form Marta Kostyuk.
