Aryna Sabalenka Completely Heartbroken After Roland Garros Exit: “I Want to Quit Tennis Right Now”

Aryna Sabalenka was the latest high-profile player to suffer an upset at this Roland Garros.

Aryna Sabalenka Completely Heartbroken After Roland Garros Exit: “I Want to Quit Tennis Right Now”

Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Yahoo Sports)

So many upsets in this Roland Garros! Many top seeds, from both the men’s and women’s sides, crumbled even before reaching the second week. And now, Aryna Sabalenka has joined them.

On Wednesday (June 3), Sabalenka, after easily winning the first set, could not maintain her level and, in fact, was handed a bagel in the third set (3-6, 7-5, 6-0). A completely dejected Sabalenka was speechless at the press conference. 

No thoughts, no emotion. I want to quit tennis right now. We’ll see in a few days. Hopefully I can get back on track mentally.

Sabalenka was enjoying great form, as prior to this match, she had won all her matches in straight sets. But she also arrived in Paris without winning a title on clay, and did not even reach the semifinals of the two clay-court events she played. She added:

Well, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, I guess. At some point I’ll figure out the situation, and we’ll get back tougher. By the way, I just figured out how I can overcome it – one of those rooms where you go in and smash everything. Probably I’ll spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it’ll help, maybe not.

Sabalenka also said that though she did not understand why the organizers kept the roof open when it was “crazy windy”, she just cannot complain. This is the first time since the 2024 French Open that Sabalenka has failed to progress past the quarterfinals of a Major.

Her campaign on clay last year was far better than this year. She made three finals, winning only the Madrid Open. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion also finished as the runner-up in last year’s French Open, losing in three sets to Coco Gauff, whose run was ended by Anastasia Potapova in the third round this year.

Four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek suffered a fourth-round exit, losing to Marta Kostyuk. Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina crashed out in the second round.

In the final of the Melbourne Slam, the Kazakh ace defeated the World No.1. Apart from the Australian Open, Sabalenka played the finals of the Brisbane International, Indian Wells Open, and the Miami Open, winning all by defeating Marta Kostyuk, Rybakina, and Gauff, respectively.

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Diana Shnaider on her win over Aryna Sabalenka

Diana Shnaider is super happy. And why wouldn’t she be? She has defeated a reigning World No.1 for the first time in her career and will also be playing in her career’s first Grand Slam semifinal. She said during her on-court interview:

Definitely a super special win. I feel like in the 3rd set I finally found my rhythm and how to play, where to be more defensive and where to attack. The third set was the one I should be aiming for from the beginning. Super happy I managed to finish on a good note and not to start on a good note. Definitely a super special tournament for me here.

Shnaider will next be up against Maja Chwalinska, another player who is hoping for a fairytale run. The Pole knocked out Anna Kalinskaya to reach a Major semifinal for the first time in her third Grand Slam appearance.

Well, this Roland Garros will see a new Grand Slam champion in both men’s and women’s tennis. None of the players reaching the quarterfinals, except for Sabalenka, have tasted success in the biggest events of tennis. 

In the other women’s semifinal, Mirra Andreeva will face Marta Kostyuk. The Russian ace eliminated retirement-bound Sorana Cirstea, while Kostyuk knocked out countrywoman Elina Svitolina. 

Also Read: Rafael Nadal Confident His French Open Record is Difficult to Break Compared to Novak Djokovic’s All-time Grand Slam Record