Sabalenka: I just 'want to quit tennis' after French Open collapse

World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is out of the French Open after suffering a shock quarter-final defeat to Diana Shnaider, despite leading by a set and two breaks;watch ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports+, NOW and the Sky Sports app

>A downbeat Aryna Sabalenka says she feels like she "wants to quit tennis" following her shock French Open quarter-final defeat to Diana Shnaider on Wednesday.

>The world No 1, who has never won the title at Roland-Garros, became an enormous favourite for the trophy with defending champion Coco Gauff, four-time champion Iga Swiatek and 2026 Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina already knocked out, only to suffer an improbable exit herself.

>Sabalenka was a set and double break up against 22-year-old Shnaider in Paris, but from a position of 6-3 5-3 in front, she failed to win another game in a stunning 3-6 7-5 6-0 collapse.

>"No thoughts, no emotions. I just want to quit tennis right now, but we'll see in a few days. Hopefully I'll get back on track mentally," Sabalenka ⁠said at her post-match press conference.

>"I feel I had very decent opportunities in the second set. I screwed ​up, and then she stepped in and she played great.

>"I feel mentally I couldn't really recover after the second set. ​I think that was the biggest mistake from me.

>"I don't know when the last time was that I lost 10 games in a row. I guess mentally I got into a very deep, dark hole over there ‌and I just couldn't get back on track mentally.

>"I actually have to step back and try to find a solution, because I just am so tired of me losing some matches not in the best way just because I was overemotional."

>For Sabalenka, her struggles were reminiscent of last year's final against Gauff, as she remonstrated loudly, shouting to herself and glaring at her team box before ultimately losing the contest.

>"I have been through so many things, and I overcome so many things," she said. "I just have to figure that little thing that is not working for me sometimes, and hopefully I can overcome it.

>"I don't know [how I will bounce back]. I don't know. I don't know.

>"You know those rooms where you go in and smash everything? Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff."

>A factor in the contest allied to Sabalenka's increasing frustration and error count - in addition to Shnaider's tenacity and determination - was a strong wind at the Paris venue.

>Sabalenka says she feels the roof should have been closed at Court Philippe-Chatrier, given the conditions.

>"That's another question - I don't know why they would keep the roof open when it was crazy windy," she said.

>"But how can I complain if for almost the whole match everything was working okay for me, and then it just slipped away?

>We're going the distance 🍿

Shnaider rallies back from 4-1 down to clinch the second set 7-5 against Sabalenka! #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/03ZTBnMvM2

>"I feel like it was getting crazy maybe just because mentally I wasn't really okay. I remember even from last year they kept the roof open for us, and then the next day, in similar conditions, they closed it for the men - to make better conditions and better quality of tennis, I believe.

>"I don't know why they would keep it open. Even though I was winning, it was very dirty tennis. I don't know how people could actually sit there and watch. And then at some point she stepped in and played unbelievable."

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