Paris, June 3 (IANS) Russian youngster Diana Shnaider came from a set and a double break down to win the last 10 games in a row and stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a quarterfinal match in the women’s singles section of the French Open on Wednesday, securing a historic maiden entry into the Grand Slam semifinals at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
The No 25 seed Shnaider produced a sensational fightback to upset Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 in 2 hours and 12 minutes, snapping the No. 1 seed’s streak of six consecutive major semifinals.
Shnaider, 22, looked down and out as Sabalenka set herself up for a routine victory with a commanding lead. But the Russian youngster moved, it isn’t over till it is over as she scripted a brilliant comeback. Sabalenka was two points away from victory when she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set before the left-handed Shnaider started to turn things around.
Competing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, Schaider was facing a reigning World No. 1 for the first time. As gusts of wind swirled around Court Philippe-Chatrier, she mastered the conditions and met the moment superbly to make the major semifinal debut.
From 6-3, 4-1 down, Shnaider produced winner after winner with her left-handed forehand to claim 12 of the next 13 games, and the last 10 in a row from 5-3. By contrast, Sabalenka’s control over her game abandoned her as she racked up 57 unforced errors — 17 of which came in the decider alone, the first time she had dropped a 6-0 set since the third set of her 2024 Dubai second round against Donna Vekic
Shnaider, a five-time titlist on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, claimed her second Top 10 win in 16 encounters, and first since defeating Coco Gauff in the 2024 Toronto third round.
Shnaider won four games in a row to snatch the second set, and then won a crucial 17-point second game of the third set, which helped her pull clear. She finished the match by winning 10 games in a row from 3-5 in the second set.
–IANS
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