World number one Aryna Sabalenka has hinted at quitting tennis following a shocking defeat at the French Open, where she lost ten games in a row during her quarter-final match.
On Wednesday, June 3, Sabalenka suffered a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to rising star Diana Shnaider, despite being just two points away from victory. The dramatic turnaround marked a frustrating and emotional exit for the Belarusian, who admitted she struggled to regain her composure during the match.
At one point, Sabalenka even apologised after angrily hitting a ball that flew toward a line judge and ball kids before bouncing into the crowd.
“No thoughts, no emotions. Just want to quit tennis right now, but we'll see,” Sabalenka said. “I hope I can get back on track mentally in a few days. I don’t know when the last time I lost 10 games in a row was. Mentally, I got into a very deep, dark hole, and I just couldn’t get back on track.”
The 25-year-old added that she plans to step back and find a solution to manage her emotions during high-pressure matches. “I’m tired of losing matches not because of my game, but because I’m overemotional,” she said. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. At some point, I’ll figure this out and come back tougher.”
Sabalenka even revealed a rather unconventional plan to blow off steam: “I figured how I can overcome it. You know those rooms where you just go in and smash everything? I might spend a whole day tomorrow destroying stuff. Maybe it will help; maybe not.”
The quarter-final loss is reminiscent of Sabalenka’s collapse in last year’s French Open final against Coco Gauff. After racing to a 5-1 lead in the first set, Sabalenka lost momentum and eventually fell in three sets, highlighting a recurring struggle to maintain composure under pressure.
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