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And this will be the case for Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros.
The world No. 1 player bowed out of the French Open in stunning fashion on Wednesday after appearing to make the Grand Slam semi-finals.
After winning the first set against Russia’s Diana Shnaider 6-3, Sabalenka took a 5-3 lead in the second set, needing to win just one game to punch her ticket to the semi-finals. The match seemed entirely over for the Belarusian, but then came a shocking collapse.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts during the women’s singles quarter-final against Diana Shnaider on the eleventh day of Roland-Garros at Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris, France, June 3, 2026. (Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Shnaider somehow managed to recover and take the second set 7-5, and with every ounce of momentum on her side, she looked down on the best player on the planet in the deciding third set and didn’t lose a single game.
One of the key turning points in the match came in a tie situation in the second game of the third set, with Sabalenka holding serve.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts against Diana Shnaider during their women’s quarterfinal match on day eleven of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2026, in Paris, France. (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
After Sabalenka managed to put a forehand over the net, Shnaider collected the ball and left his opponent completely unprepared at the service line. The four-time Grand Slam winner was shocked by Shnaider’s successful shot and simply threw her hands in the air in disbelief.
Shnaider, who played collegiately at NC State before turning professional in 2023, will play in the first Grand Slam semifinal of her career against Poland’s Maja Chwalinska.
The Russian, ranked 23rd in the world, will be the favorite, with a place in the final at stake, while Chwalinska is ranked outside the top 100.
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Aryna Sabalenka reacts as she is about to be defeated by Diana Shnaider during their quarterfinal match on day eleven of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2026, in Paris, France. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
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Although Shnaider’s victory over Sabalenka was a profound upset, shocking results have been the theme of the 2026 French Open.
On the men’s side, world number one Jannik Sinner lost in the second round to Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo, although he won the first two sets of the match.
The top-ranked player on the women’s side is No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, while No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev is the favorite to claim victory on the men’s side heading into his semifinal.
