Sabalenka implodes as Shnaider books French Open semi with Chwalinska

Aryna Sabalenka saw her golden opportunity to claim a maiden French Open title go by on Wednesday as the world number one spectacularly crashed out to Diana Shnaider in the last eight, while Flavio Cobolli won to ensure an all-Italian men’s semi-final. After battling back from a set down and being led by a double break of serve in the second by the world number one, Shnaider prevailed to set up a last-four meeting with Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska. “I screw up, and then she stepped in and she played great.

I feel like mentally I couldn’t really recover after the second set,” Sabalenka said after her 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss. “I don’t know when was the last time that happened to me that I lost 10 games in a row.

I don’t know. I guess mentally I got into very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn’t get back mentally on track.” Sabalenka’s collapse on Court Philippe Chatrier was reminiscent of last year’s final when Coco Gauff battled back to beat the four-time major winner in three sets.