Aryna Sabalenka feels like quitting tennis after loss to Diana Shnaider

Aryna Sabalenka said she feels like quitting tennis after a remarkable meltdown to lose to Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarter-finals.

The world number one was the steady presence in a tournament full of shocks and looked to be easing through to the last four when she led by a set and 4-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

But Sabalenka, who had already looked unsettled by the windy conditions, won only one of the next 13 games to crash to a 3-6 7-5 6-0 defeat before stomping off court.

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“No thoughts, no emotions,” said the Belarusian afterwards. “I just want to quit tennis right now. We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.”

It is only the second time in her last 14 grand slams that Sabalenka has failed to reach at least the semi-finals but it is the latest in a series of painful losses where the 28-year-old has been beaten as much by herself as her opponent.

Last year’s final defeat here by Coco Gauff, where Sabalenka was criticised for a perceived sour-grapes reaction, was a case in point, and, if she is to end her career with the grand slam haul her game deserves, she must somehow learn how to handle her emotions.

“I don’t know when was the last time that happened to me that I lost 10 games in a row,” she said.

“I guess mentally I got into a very deep, deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn’t get back mentally on track.

“This is something that I actually have to 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.”

As to how she might get over the loss, Sabalenka added: “You know those rooms where you just go in and you