Four-time French Open champion Iga Świątek suffered a stunning fourth-round exit at Roland Garros on her 25th birthday, falling in straight sets to in-form Ukrainian star Marta Kostyuk.
The third-seeded Pole, widely known as the “Queen of Clay” for her dominance in Paris, was unable to find her rhythm as Kostyuk produced a commanding performance to secure a 7-5, 6-1 victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Świątek, who has lifted the French Open trophy four times, has not won a clay-court title since her most recent Roland Garros triumph in 2024. The six-time Grand Slam champion is also still searching for her first tournament victory of the 2026 season.
Reflecting on the defeat, Świątek admitted it was simply “not a good day in the office” as her difficult season continued.
For Kostyuk, however, the victory marked another major milestone in what has been a remarkable year. The Ukrainian arrived in Paris unbeaten on clay in 2026 after capturing titles at the Madrid Open and the Rouen Open.
“I feel like I’ve given myself more space to just create something, to challenge my opponents,” Kostyuk said after the match.
“The most important thing I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy it. I woke up in the morning and all I thought about was what an unbelievable day I have to live today, playing on Chatrier against Iga.”
The opening set was closely contested, with both players exchanging breaks before Kostyuk seized control at the crucial moment. Świątek’s brilliant returning game was evident throughout, but a series of unforced errors and costly double faults undermined her efforts, allowing the Ukrainian to edge ahead.
Having never previously taken a set from Świątek in three tour-level meetings, Kostyuk grew increasingly confident as the match progressed. Her aggressive groundstrokes consistently pushed the former world number one onto the defensive, and she dominated the second set to complete one of the biggest wins of her career.
The victory sends Kostyuk into the French Open quarter-finals for the first time, where she will face fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. Svitolina booked her place in the last eight with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 comeback victory over Belinda Bencic.
For Świątek, the defeat marks the first time since her Roland Garros debut in 2019 that she has failed to reach the quarter-finals in Paris.
Her exit adds to a series of major upsets that have shaken this year’s tournament, with men’s world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and defending women’s champion Coco Gauff all having departed the competition in recent days.
