Aryna Sabalenka was far from happy after her exit from the Roland Garros quarter-final, but she has every reason to feel aggrieved from the Grand Slams decision making.
Sabalenka struggled in windy conditions against Diana Shnaider and the weather played a pivotal part in the World No. 1 blowing a 6-3, 4-1 lead to lose the match.
She lost 10 games in a row to a brilliant Shnaider, who will be playing in her very first Grand Slam semi-final against Polish qualifier Maja Chwalińska.
After the match, the World No. 1 produced an iconic post-match press conference. Sabalenka said she wanted to ‘quit tennis’ after the loss and she also took issue with the roof on Philippe-Chatrier.
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“That’s another question – I don’t know why they would keep the roof open when it was crazy windy,” said Sabalenka.
“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.”
While it’s understandable for Roland Garros to want to keep the Grand Slam an outside event, what followed Sabalenka vs Shnaider seems like total disrespect.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli struggled in their first set due to the intense winds and before the second set, the roof was closed on Philippe-Chatrier.
There was not a real change in the weather between matches, so what changed? Auger-Aliassime and Cobolli were not even complaining about the wind, so it’s a real case of favouritism from the Grand Slam.
The roof being closed for the men is the last thing Sabalenka will want to see, but she has every right to be upset. While she deservedly lost to the better player, she will constantly be wondering what might have happened if Roland Garros closed the roof.
Legendary former tennis player and coach Jo Durie believed the wrath of Sabalenka could be coming after their strange decision.
Taking to X, Durie wrote: “Wow closing the roof now!!!! Sabalenka will not be impressed with that.”
Durie is absolutely right and the World No. 1 deserved an apology at best for the very controversial decision made by the Grand Slam.
The post Aryna Sabalenka deserves an apology from Roland Garros after her treatment in the semi-final appeared first on Tennis365.
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