The World No. 1 Lost 12 of 13 Games, And Her French Open Hopes Are Done
HOLY MOLY, folks! Diana Shnaider, the 25th seed, just pulled off one of the most stunning upsets at the French Open quarterfinals on Wednesday! She absolutely rocked the tennis world by taking down the World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka. Seriously, this was a comeback for the ages!
Shnaider's Epic Comeback Shakes Up Paris
You won't believe this. Sabalenka, a four-time major winner, snagged the first set 6-3 and then jumped to a dominant 4-1 lead in the second, breaking Shnaider twice. Most would fold, right? Not Diana Shnaider! The 22-year-old Russian, in her first major quarterfinal, dug deep. She admitted, "Tough conditions with the wind, first time playing Aryna, super nervous." But she flipped a switch, winning an unbelievable 12 of the next 13 games! That's 12 of 13 against the World No. 1, folks! The final was 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in 2 hours and 12 minutes. Sabalenka's string of six straight major semifinals? Over. She was even serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set when her composure went out the window. The stats don't lie: Sabalenka had a shocking 57 unforced errors, 30 more than Shnaider. Ouch! Shnaider, keeping her cool, said, "I will just try to do my best to the end... Try to fight for every point and try to run for every ball and make it extra into the court." That's mental toughness!
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As if Shnaider's upset wasn't enough, we've got another incredible story unfolding! Diana Shnaider will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the semifinals. Chwalinska, 24, has been on an absolute tear, taking down 22nd-seeded Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (3), 6-3. This makes her only the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach the Paris semifinals, a feat last achieved by Nadia Podoroska in 2020. Chwalinska even let a 5-1 lead slip in the first set before winning it in a tiebreaker, showing serious grit. She stayed calm when Kalinskaya "started to play much more aggressive," and was "very proud that I stayed composed and managed to win this set." Ranked No. 114, she's the second-lowest-ranked women's singles semifinalist at the French Open, with Lois Boisson at No. 361 last year being the only one lower. Her goal was simply to qualify, and to reach the top 100 this year. She admitted, "I didn't expect it to happen that way. But I'm not complaining." And why would she? What a run!
So, what's next? It's Shnaider versus Chwalinska, a blockbuster semifinal of two players who refuse to quit. Over on the other side, eighth-seeded Mirra Andreeva takes on No. 15 Marta Kostyuk. The stakes are sky-high: a spot in the French Open final! Get ready, because these next matches are going to be wild!
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.