French Open 2026 Chaos: Berrettini Retirement, Sabalenka Collapse and Alcaraz Absence Define Turbulent Roland Garros

Matteo Berrettini brought an abrupt end to his Roland Garros campaign after retiring from his quarter-final match against compatriot Matteo Arnaldi, trailing 7-5, 5-2 at the time of his withdrawal. The Italian acknowledged the crowd with a public wave of apology to spectators who had purchased tickets granting access to only his match — a gesture that underscored the awkward position his exit created for paying fans.

Berrettini’s retirement compounded what had already been a turbulent day at Roland Garros. Earlier in the quarter-finals, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a stunning collapse against Diana Shnaider, losing ten consecutive games on her way to a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 defeat. The result ended the top seed’s title challenge and sent further shockwaves through a draw that had already shed its most prominent names.

The tournament had been deprived of its defending champion Carlos Alcaraz even before play began, with the Spaniard ruled out through injury. His absence removed one of the event’s principal attractions at the outset. Jannik Sinner, widely expected to fill that void, then suffered his own shock exit in the third round, followed a day later by Novak Djokovic, who was beaten by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. Fonseca himself could not sustain the momentum, falling at the quarter-final stage.

Elsewhere in the draw, Flavio Cobolli advanced with a four-set victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime, while Maja Chwalinska reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career after defeating Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Chwalinska’s run has been one of the more unexpected storylines of the fortnight.

The men’s semi-finals will now feature Alexander Zverev against Jakub Mensik, and Arnaldi against Cobolli — an all-Italian last-four clash on the men’s side. In the women’s draw, Chwalinska will face Shnaider, while Marta Kostyuk is set to take on Mirra Andreeva in the other semi-final.

The contrast with the 2025 edition is stark. Last year’s Roland Garros concluded with Coco Gauff defeating Sabalenka in the women’s final, before Alcaraz and Sinner contested a men’s final widely regarded as one of the finest matches in recent Grand Slam history. Broadcaster TNT Sports, which holds rights in the UK, reported strong viewing figures during the first week of this year’s tournament, though the departures of the sport’s leading figures raise questions about audience retention heading into finals weekend.

Cobolli’s victory over Auger-Aliassime also drew scrutiny regarding scheduling decisions, with John McEnroe publicly suggesting Roland Garros made an error in how that match was arranged, according to reports. Meanwhile, Sabalenka’s post-match comments — in which she reportedly threatened to quit tennis following her defeat to Shnaider — added another headline to an already eventful tournament.

The 2026 French Open has produced genuine upsets and introduced several players to the Grand Slam spotlight for the first time. However, the cumulative effect of so many prominent exits — through injury, shock defeats, and retirement — means the tournament’s final stages will proceed without the star power that typically defines a Grand Slam’s closing weekend.