“I got into a very deep, dark hole”: Sabalenka on a collapse that hands Roland-Garros an unpredictable finish
The world No. 1 spoke candidly about the mental spiral that undid her, her frustration at the open roof in the wind, and the lapses that keep costing her on clay. Aryna Sabalenka was beaten by Diana Shnaider in the Roland-Garros quarter-finals, losing the last ten games after leading 6-3, 4-1.
Aryna Sabalenka, Roland-Garros 2026 | © PsNewz
Aryna Sabalenka opened her press conference with a line that hung in the room: “No thoughts, no emotions. I want to quit tennis right now. We’ll see in a few days if I’m back on track.” That she sat down at all, raw and unguarded minutes after a defeat that hands Roland-Garros an unpredictable finish, was its own act of courage. The world No. 1 had been beaten by Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals, losing the last ten games after leading 6-3, 4-1, and she spoke candidly about the mental spiral that undid her, her frustration at the open roof in the wind, and the lapses that keep costing her on clay.
Q. Just from your perspective, what happened in those final games of the third set in particular?
SABALENKA: I had very decent opportunities in the second set. I screwed up, and then she stepped in and she played great. I felt like mentally I couldn’t really recover after the second set. I think that was the mistake for me.
Q. What were you trying to do to change the direction of it, or to slow it down? It was a very uncharacteristic match for you.
SABALENKA: Yeah, I don’t know when was the last time that happened to me, that I lost ten games in a row. I guess mentally I got into a very deep, deep dark hole over there, and I just couldn’t get back on track mentally.
Q. How big a factor were the conditions? It was a windy afternoon.
SABALENKA: That’s another question – I don’t know why they would keep the roof open when it was crazy windy. But how can I complain if for almost the whole match everything was working okay for me, and then it just slipped away? I feel like it was getting crazy maybe just because mentally I wasn’t really okay. I remember even from last year they kept the roof open for us, and then the next day, in similar conditions, they closed it for the men – to make better conditions and better quality of tennis, I believe. I don’t know why they would keep it open. Even though I was winning, it was very dirty tennis. I don’t know how people could actually sit there and watch. And then at some point she stepped in and played unbelievable.
Q. Did you ask for the roof to be closed?
SABALENKA: No. I feel like there was no need.
Maybe I’m focusing too much on the fact that I’ve never won a Slam on them, and maybe that makes me overthink things.
Q. What challenges do clay and grass present that you think have prevented you from matching your success on hard courts?
SABALENKA: I don’t know. I really feel great on clay, I feel great on grass. Maybe I’m focusing too much on the fact that I’ve never won a Slam on them, and maybe that makes me overthink things, makes me over-emotional at some moments. This is something I actually have to step back from and try to find a solution, because I’m so tired of losing like this – not in the best way, just because I was over-emotional.
Q. In that situation, do you find you end up fighting against yourself and can’t find a way back? How does it happen – is it too overwhelming, or something you can’t turn around?
SABALENKA: I think it’s a combination of everything. You overthink, then you make easy mistakes, then you miss opportunities — and on the other side she’s stepping in and starting to play more aggressively, more free, kind of fearless. Sometimes it’s really tough to hold the pressure and put it back on her.
Q. From the outside, that match had similarities to last year’s final. From your experience, what were those similarities?
SABALENKA: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I just have to sit back and openly think about what’s going on in my head in those tough moments. I’m quite an experienced player, I’ve been through so many things and overcome so many things, and I just have to figure out that little thing that sometimes isn’t working for me – and hopefully I can overcome it.
Well, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, I guess. At some point I’ll figure out the situation and we’ll get back tougher.
Q. How were you feeling going into the match this morning? Were you in your best spirits mentally?
SABALENKA: No, I felt really great. I felt ready to fight, I felt ready, I was super motivated, as always. So I wouldn’t say I’d done something wrong in the morning. I just think there’s something in a specific moment in the mind that happens, where I lose control of the match.
Q. How much more difficult is this to take when it was such a big opportunity, given the opening?
SABALENKA: I don’t want easy wins. For me it’s about suffering, overcoming. But also, how can you tell – Shnaider is in great shape, she’s playing great tennis. She’s also playing really great tennis. I’d say it was a chance for me.
Q. Everyone will appreciate your honest, raw reaction to this. How do you bounce back from disappointments like this? Any plans for the next few days?
SABALENKA: I honestly don’t know. I guess I don’t know. (Pause) I don’t know.
Q. Does it make it even tougher knowing you’ve put so much into trying to find a way through this, but you still have these mental blocks sometimes?
SABALENKA: Well, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, I guess. At some point I’ll figure out the situation and we’ll get back tougher. By the way, I just figured out how I can overcome it – one of those rooms where you go in and smash everything. Probably I’ll spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it’ll help, maybe not. Thank you very much.
