World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said she wants to quit tennis after losing her French Open quarter-final match on Wednesday [1].
The exit of the tournament's top seed represents one of the most significant upsets of the event and raises questions about the mental state of the world's highest-ranked player.
Sabalenka fell to 25th-seed Diana Shnaider in a match that ended 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 [1]. While the first two sets were competitive, the final set saw a total collapse from the top seed. Sabalenka lost 10 consecutive games across the end of the match to seal the defeat [1].
Following the loss at Roland Garros in Paris, Sabalenka expressed deep frustration with her performance. "I just want to quit tennis right now," Sabalenka said [1].
The defeat marks a stark turn in the match's momentum. Sabalenka had managed to take the first set before Shnaider fought back to win the second. The final set was a complete rout, leaving the world No. 1 visibly distraught [1].
Shnaider's victory propels her further into the tournament, while Sabalenka's comments about retirement follow a period of high pressure as the top seed [3]. The match took place on June 3, 2026, during a day of unexpected results at the French Open [2].
“"I just want to quit tennis right now."”
Sabalenka's sudden admission of wanting to retire, coupled with a rare 'bagel' set (6-0) in a quarter-final, suggests a significant psychological breakdown under pressure. While such comments are often made in the heat of emotional defeat, the scale of the collapse—losing 10 straight games—indicates a level of volatility that could affect her ranking and future performance in the Grand Slam circuit.
