The clay surface does not represent Sabalenka’s primary strength, despite her three victories in Madrid, a venue where the elevated terrain creates playing conditions akin to a hard court.
Furthermore, her preparation leading up to Roland Garros was not ideal. She squandered six opportunities to close out the match during her quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid back in April, preceding another instance where she forfeited a set and a break advantage against the experienced Romanian player Sorana Cirstea in Rome.
Nevertheless, considering her demonstrated skill and esteemed background in comparison to the other players reaching the Paris quarter-finals, it becomes challenging to avoid the conclusion that Sabalenka has let yet another prime chance evade her grasp.
Sabalenka’s collection of four Grand Slam singles championships—comprising two Australian Open and two US Open victories, exclusively achieved on hard courts—surpasses the aspirations of the majority.
Despite exhibiting a level of consistency on the grandest stages that is unmatched by her contemporaries, she has also experienced defeats in four finals and six major semi-final appearances.
Sabalenka holds the commendable distinction of consistently progressing to at least the quarter-finals of every Grand Slam tournament since the commencement of the 2023 season.
Nevertheless, she has often struggled to manage the intense pressure associated with the advanced rounds of tournaments, especially during the span when she was unequivocally recognized as the top player globally.
In the 2024 Australian Open final, Sabalenka was widely expected to defeat the less-fancied Madison Keys, but ultimately faltered. A year prior, she advanced to another championship match in Melbourne, where a succession of errors led to her relinquishing a crucial break advantage in the final set against Elena Rybakina.
During the previous year’s French Open, Sabalenka participated in a match she characterized as her “worst final” ever, committing 70 unforced errors amidst gusty conditions, resulting in a loss after being a set ahead.
Facing Shnaider, Sabalenka appeared to be firmly in command, leading 6-3 and 4-1, only to then drop 12 out of the subsequent 13 games.
“I simply believe that at certain junctures within the match, I tend to lose composure,” Sabalenka stated, noting that her 57 unforced errors exceeded her 46 winners.
