In a match that had everything—drama, a massive comeback, and a world No. 1 unraveling—Diana Shnaider pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the French Open, sending Aryna Sabalenka packing. But the real story might be what happened after the final point.
Shnaider, down a set and a double break, flipped the script in jaw-dropping fashion, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. By the third set, Sabalenka looked lost, while Shnaider was locked in. The Belarusian's game disintegrated, and the crowd at Roland Garros watched a title favorite crumble.
But it was Sabalenka's post-match press conference that really got people talking. The two-time Australian Open champion pointed a finger at the conditions, specifically the open roof and gusty winds swirling around Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“I don’t know why they would keep the roof open when it was crazy windy,” Sabalenka said. “Even while I was winning, it was very dirty tennis. I don’t know how people could actually sit there and watch.” She even compared this year's decision to last year, when she claimed the roof was closed for a men's match in similar conditions.
Fans were quick to push back. Many felt the comments sounded like excuses rather than accountability. “A winner of 4 grand slams coming for tournament directors is never a good thing,” one fan wrote on social media. Another added, “You lost to a better player simple! Respect your opponents.” The criticism echoed across tennis forums, with many pointing out that Sabalenka won the first set under the same conditions.
Sabalenka didn't hold back on her emotions either. When asked how she was feeling, she replied bluntly: “No thoughts, no emotions. Just want to quit tennis right now.” She added that she planned to “go to one of those rooms, go in and smash everything.”
This isn't the first time Sabalenka has faced tough questions at a Grand Slam. Earlier in the tournament, a French Open interviewer came under fire for a bizarre request, adding to the tension around her campaign.
For Shnaider, the win was a dream come true. “I am speechless. Super happy,” she said. “I was trying to focus point by point. She is the world No. 1, so I just trying to do my best. I had to fight for every point.”
The loss leaves Sabalenka searching for answers on clay, and with Wimbledon on the horizon—a tournament where she has never made the final—questions about her mental resilience are growing. The meltdown in Paris has stunned the tennis world, and her next move will be closely watched.
