World number one Aryna Sabalenka has threatened to quit tennis after suffering a dramatic collapse in the French Open quarter-finals, losing 10 games in a row against Diana Shnaider. The Belarusian star, who was just two points from victory, eventually fell 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 on Wednesday, June 3.
Meltdown on Court
Sabalenka's frustration boiled over during the match as she booted a ball in anger after a missed first serve. The ball flew toward a line judge and ball kids before bouncing into the crowd, forcing her to apologize for the incident.
Reflecting on her performance, Sabalenka admitted, 'No thoughts, no emotions. Just want to quit tennis right now, but we'll see. We'll see in few days. Hopefully I'll get back on track mentally.'
Mental Struggles
The world number one acknowledged her mental state deteriorated rapidly. 'I don't know when the last time that happened to me that I lost 10 games in a row. I guess mentally I got into very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn't get back mentally on track,' she said.
Sabalenka expressed frustration with her recurring emotional issues on court. 'This is something that I actually have to kind of step back and try to find a solution because I just am so tired of me losing some matches not in the best way just because I was overemotional.'
Past Collapses
This is not the first time Sabalenka has experienced a dramatic turnaround. In last year's French Open final against Coco Gauff, she raced to a 5-1 lead in the opening set before losing momentum and eventually falling in three sets.
Despite her current despair, Sabalenka remains hopeful. 'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, I guess. At some point I will figure that little situation, and I only will get back tougher.'
Unusual Coping Strategy
In a lighter moment, Sabalenka revealed an unusual plan to deal with her emotions. 'Actually, I just figured how I can overcome it. You know those rooms where you just go in and you smash everything? I will probably spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it will help; maybe not.'
The tennis world will be watching closely to see if Sabalenka follows through on her threat to quit or if she can bounce back stronger from this setback.
