Aryna Sabalenka's French Open campaign came to a dramatic and unexpected end as she suffered a stunning quarter-final defeat to Diana Shnaider. The world number one, who had been a steady presence in a tournament full of surprises, capitulated in windy conditions, losing 3-6 7-5 6-0 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Sabalenka's Collapse
Sabalenka appeared to be cruising towards the semi-finals when she led by a set and 4-1. However, the blustery conditions, which frequently forced players to pause and wipe clay from their eyes, began to trouble the Belarusian. Shnaider, seeded 25th, played intelligently in the biggest match of her career, repeatedly testing Sabalenka's resolve. The world number one simply had no answers, losing 11 of the last 12 games. Her frustration threatened to boil over, and she stormed off court after the defeat.
This is only the second time in her last 14 grand slams that Sabalenka has failed to reach at least the semi-finals. She also lost a love set for the first time in two and a half years. The defeat means that no player remaining in the women's tournament has previously reached a grand slam final.
Shnaider's Reaction
Shnaider put her hands on her head in disbelief after the match. "Honestly, I'm speechless. I'm super happy," she said. "Obviously today a little tough conditions with the wind. First time playing Aryna, super nervous, and first time playing in the quarter-finals of a grand slam."
Chwalinska's Fairytale Run
Shnaider will now face Maja Chwalinska, who is two victories away from matching Emma Raducanu's feat of winning a grand slam title as a qualifier. The 24-year-old had only won one main draw match at any slam before arriving in Paris but extended her winning run to eight matches with a 7-6 (3) 6-3 victory over 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya.
Chwalinska, ranked 114th, is already guaranteed to double her career prize money with the 750,000 euros (approximately £650,000) for reaching the last four. She was inspired by Raducanu's achievement, saying: "It was such an impressive run. Also, she was so young. I think she didn't drop a set, as well. So it was just incredible. And the players in the qualifying, they are so good. They are great competitors. We just need to believe and fight and just believe that maybe some day it will click for us, as well."
Chwalinska's Mental Health Struggles
While Raducanu was winning in New York, Chwalinska had stepped away from the tour completely amid a battle with depression. An indefinite break ended up lasting nearly four months. "I was struggling a lot," she said. "I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practising. But then I just couldn't get out of bed any more. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I knew that I needed to take a break, because otherwise I'm just not able to live, I think. I honestly didn't know if I was going to come back or not. I'm happy that I did."
Chwalinska's goal at the start of the year was to be top 100, but her run here has guaranteed she will break into the top 30 – although she would need a wild card to avoid having to go through qualifying at Wimbledon. If the cool, windy conditions continue, the left-hander will hope her unconventional game, which is based around strong defence and court craft, can frustrate Shnaider as well. "I'm aware that it can be very annoying for other players," said Chwalinska. "I just try to use it as much as I can."
