Marta Kostyuk produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 French Open on Sunday, defeating former champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals and end the Pole’s bid for a fifth title at Roland Garros.
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The victory marked Kostyuk’s first-ever French Open quarter-final appearance and extended a remarkable run on clay this season. The Ukrainian displayed confidence and composure throughout the match, recovering from early pressure before taking control in the second set to secure a memorable win.
Another shock in Paris.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk knocked out Iga Swiatek, one of the modern greats of clay court tennis, with a 7-5 6-1 win in the fourth round of Roland Garros.
For years, Swiatek has been one of the toughest players to beat on the Paris clay, but Kostyuk found… pic.twitter.com/kllwPNtTUy
— Asian Tennis Federation (@asian_tennis) May 31, 2026
Swiatek, widely regarded as one of the strongest clay-court players in the world, struggled to find her rhythm on her 25th birthday. The defeat was her earliest exit from the tournament since her debut campaign in 2019 and continued a difficult season in which she has yet to capture a title.
Kostyuk’s triumph came during a dramatic tournament that has already witnessed the departures of several leading contenders, including men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and defending women’s champion Coco Gauff.
In the women’s draw, Kostyuk will next face fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who advanced after defeating Belinda Bencic in three sets.
Meanwhile, in the men’s competition, Alexander Zverev continued his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title with a straight-sets victory over Jesper De Jong. Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar also impressed by fighting back from two sets down to reach the next round.
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With several top seeds already eliminated, the French Open is guaranteed to crown new champions in both the men’s and women’s singles events, adding further intrigue to an increasingly unpredictable tournament.