Aryna Sabalenka crashes out of French Open after stunning collapse to Diana Shnaider

The world No. 1 was firmly in control for long stretches on Court Philippe-Chatrier, leading by a set and a double break and later standing just two points away from victory while serving at 5-4 in the second set. But what followed was a stunning collapse, as Sabalenka lost 12 of the final 13 games and completely unravelled under pressure from the inspired 22-year-old.

Sabalenka had started in typically dominant fashion, racing into a 5-1 lead in the opening set with a blend of raw power and delicate shot-making. Although she briefly wobbled while serving it out, she recovered to take the set 6-3 and reasserted control early in the second.

The Belarusian broke twice to move 4-1 ahead and appeared to be cruising into the semi-finals. Even after Shnaider clawed one break back, Sabalenka still held the advantage deep in the set and brought up a 30-15 lead while serving for the match at 5-4.

From that point, however, the match flipped entirely.

A pair of unforced errors opened the door, and Sabalenka's level began to disintegrate under mounting pressure. She was broken for 5-5 after failing to close out key points, then could not halt the momentum shift as Shnaider took control of the second set 7-5.

The frustration became increasingly visible as Sabalenka stood frozen after missed opportunities, later screaming in anger after falling 0-30 down early in the decider. Her body language deteriorated further when she missed a routine volley and briefly sank to her haunches, head resting on her racket.

Although she saved two match points later in the third set, the contest was effectively gone. Shnaider surged through the decider 6-0, capitalising on a succession of errors as Sabalenka's game completely fell apart at the baseline.

In total, the world No. 1 failed to win another game after holding a 4-1 lead in the second set, closing with a run of just one game from the final 13 as Shnaider overwhelmed her with relentless consistency and fearless hitting.

It was a painful repeat of previous late-match struggles for Sabalenka in major tournaments, echoing her collapse in last year's French Open final, where emotional lapses cost her a shot at the title.

Shnaider, meanwhile, will face qualifier Maja Chwalinska in a surprise all-unseeded semi-final, but the spotlight remained firmly on Sabalenka's dramatic fade-out after what had looked like a routine passage into the last four.

READ MORE: Fritz explains why Chad le Clos was included in Commonwealth Games squad