World No 1 Sabalenka stunned by Shnaider in French Open quarters

World number one Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the French Open quarterfinals in Paris on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 to Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka led 4-1 in the second set and twice stood within two points of victory while serving at 5-4, but the match flipped quickly. The four-time major winner dropped 12 of the last 13 games as Shnaider surged into her first Grand Slam semifinal. The result ends Sabalenka’s latest bid for a first Roland Garros title.

Sabalenka said she was mentally off and made routine errors during the crucial passages. Windy conditions with the roof open on Court Philippe-Chatrier appeared to add to the challenge as momentum swung decisively to Shnaider late in the second set. The top seed had looked in control after taking the opener and breaking twice early in the second, but Shnaider’s returning pressure and steadier rally tolerance turned the contest.

Shnaider’s reward is a semifinal against Maja Chwalinska, who extended her breakthrough run by defeating 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (3), 6-3. Chwalinska, an unseeded qualifier, has now recorded her best performance at a major.

Tournament shaken by early exits

The upset continued a turbulent tournament that has already seen defending champion Coco Gauff depart in the third round and four-time winner Iga Swiatek fall in the fourth. According to Opta data, this is the first major tournament since the 1977 French Open without a former men’s or women’s singles major champion in the semifinals. The path has opened for several first-time contenders to chase a landmark title in Paris.

On the men’s side, last year’s runner-up Jannik Sinner served for the match before exiting in the second round, while 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic lost from two sets up in the third round. Those results further underscored the unpredictability of this year’s draw across both singles events.

Men’s quarterfinal picture

Tenth seed Flavio Cobolli advanced to the semifinals by defeating fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. He next faces Matteo Arnaldi, who progressed after Matteo Berrettini retired due to injury. The all-Italian clash will send a first-time Roland Garros finalist from that section.

With Sabalenka out and Shnaider set to meet Chwalinska, a first-time women’s major champion remains a strong possibility in Paris. Attention now turns to how the remaining semifinalists handle the stage and shifting conditions as the tournament moves toward the finals at Roland Garros.