Sabalenka collapses from winning position to crash out of French Open

World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a stunning collapse at the French Open on Wednesday, losing to Diana Shnaider 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. Sabalenka appeared to be in control after winning the first set and building a 4-1 lead in the second. She was even two points away from winning the match while serving at 5-4 in the second set.

However, Shnaider, playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, mounted a remarkable comeback. Sabalenka's frustration became increasingly visible as the match slipped away. In the deciding set, she screamed after losing a point and later rested her head on her racket after missing a volley. The top seed lost 12 of the final 13 games in a dramatic turnaround.

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The four-time Grand Slam champion appeared on course for victory after taking the opening set and building a 4-1 lead in the second.

The defeat echoed Sabalenka's struggles in last year's final, where she also displayed visible frustration during a loss. Despite showing signs of agitation earlier in the match, she had largely maintained her composure until failing to close out the second set. Shnaider capitalized on the shift in momentum, breaking Sabalenka's serve and taking control of the contest to secure her deepest run at a major tournament.

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Although she managed to save two match points at 0-40, the Belarusian eventually handed victory to Shnaider when she hit a shot into the net.