The world number one is out: For tennis superstar Aryna Sabalenka, the wait for her first triumph at the French Open continues.
The four-time major winner surprisingly lost 6:3, 5:7, 0:6 against the Russian Diana Schnaider on Wednesday after a spectacular drop in performance. In addition to her 400th victory at tour level, the Belarusian also missed her seventh semi-final in a row at a Grand Slam.
“I’m speechless, very happy. I was very nervous,” said Schnaider: “It’s a very special victory.”
Sabalenka, who lost the final in Paris last year against the American Coco Gauff, initially dominated and was quickly ahead 5-1 in the first set. But in windy conditions on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where the sand was constantly being blown up, more and more mistakes were made in the favorite’s game. Nevertheless, she secured the first round.
Sabalenka loses her self-evidence
But Sabalenka was now arguing more and more often, the matter-of-factness was gone – and Schnaider turned up the heat. The Russian fought back against the impending defeat and forced the deciding set. There she finally pulled Sabalenka, who was now completely out of character and visibly on the verge of despair, and won after 2:12 hours of play.
Schnaider, who is coached by German coach Sascha Bajin, reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time. The Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska is waiting there on Thursday, having previously continued her sensational run with the 7:6 (7:3), 6:3 quarter-final win against the Russian Anna Kalinskaja.
The 24-year-old achieved the best result by a qualifier since professional tennis began in 1968; the Argentinian Nadia Podoroska last achieved the feat in 2020. “To be honest, I don’t know what’s happening right now,” said Chwalinska in disbelief: “Every single game here is kind of crazy for me. I’m very grateful.”