Diana Shnaider stuns world number one Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros to make semi-finals

[p]In a tournament that has witnessed several shocks, including the exits of defending champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] and four-time winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a]'s loss sent another jolt through the wide-open women's draw.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shnaider-diana/028BdVOj/"]Shnaider[/a] reached her maiden Grand Slam semi-final after an inspired battle in which she won the last 10 games having been two points away from defeat, and she takes on Polish qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chwalinska-maja/OIxOD54s/"]Maja Chwalinska[/a] in the last four.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="c9f6625e-c9cc-4058-b508-c37166d0ed45" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0e6b1340-1be4-43e8-bf26-0442502936e6" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][p]"[b]Obviously, the first time playing Aryna, I was super nervous. The first set, I was trying to adjust to her game, trying to figure out how to play[/b]," Shnaider said.[/p][p]"[b]I feel like I was trying to focus point by point, not thinking about the score. She's the world number one, so I just tried to do my best. I just had to fight for every point[/b].[/p][p]"[b]It's definitely a super special win. I feel in the third set I finally found my rhythm and how to play and where to be a bit more. The third set was the one I should be aiming for from the beginning. Super happy to finish on a good note[/b]."[/p][p]The conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier proved a massive challenge for both players as they affected precise shot-making, but Sabalenka found her groove to open up a 5-1 advantage before she dropped serve when the wind began to really swirl.[/p][embed guid="b0b9fbfa-4f82-4e2d-854d-dfeb1f52aeaa" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2062169488821256216" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Belarusian let out a frustrated scream after netting a backhand to give Shnaider another breakpoint, but she composed herself again to wrap up the first set in 49 minutes and punch the air to loud applause from the crowd.[/p][p]Russian 25th seed Shnaider dropped her level in the second set to fall behind again before mounting a spectacular comeback to erase a double break and level at 5-5 and drag four-times major champion Sabalenka into a decider.[/p][p]Left-hander Shnaider's forehand caused all kinds of issues early in the final set for Sabalenka, and the 22-year-old broke for a 2-0 lead with a crosscourt winner before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/shnaider-d-028BdVOj/?mid=Kx28rsbn"]holding firm to seal the win[/a].[/p][embed guid="4fb5e11e-40cf-4381-9431-a313c153a588" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2062179550356754812" social-type="twitter" /][p]Last year's runner-up, Sabalenka, cut a dejected figure after a defeat that snapped her run of six straight Grand Slam semi-finals.[/p][p]With this result, there will now be a new Grand Slam winner in both the men's and women's tournaments.[/p]