Aryna Sabalenka Reflects on Defeat at Roland-Garros 2026

In a post-match press conference, Sabalenka expressed her disappointment, revealing that she felt she had entered a "very deep, dark hole" mentally during the match. She noted, "I guess mentally I got into a very deep, dark hole over there, and I just couldn't get back mentally on track," reflecting on the challenge of losing ten consecutive games.

As the only remaining top five seed and a finalist from the previous year, expectations were high for Sabalenka. She had previously not dropped a set in the tournament, but faced difficult conditions on Wednesday with cooler and windier weather that affected her performance. Despite her strong start, holding a 6-3, 4-1 lead, Sabalenka struggled to maintain her form.

Sabalenka explained, "I just think it's a combination of everything. You overthink, then you make easy mistakes, then you miss opportunities. Then the other player on the other side steps in and starts playing a bit more aggressively and more free – kind of fearless. Sometimes it's really tough to hold the pressure and put it back on the opponent."

Despite the painful loss, Sabalenka remains determined to move forward. She stated, "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, and I have been through so many things, and I overcame so many things. I just have to figure out that little thing that is not working for me sometimes, and hopefully I can overcome it."

In a light-hearted moment, she mentioned a potential strategy for coping with her frustration, saying, "Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it will help; maybe not," eliciting laughter from the press.