A Surprising Defeat at Roland Garros

The 2026 French Open saw another major shock on Sunday as third-seeded Iga Świątek was eliminated by No. 15 seed Marta Kostyuk. The straight-sets victory, ending 7-5, 6-1, marks the earliest exit for the four-time champion at the tournament since 2019.

For Świątek, the loss was particularly difficult as it coincided with her 25th birthday. Currently ranked third in the world, the Polish star remains without a tournament victory this season and will now shift her focus to defending her Wimbledon title later in June.


Kostyuk’s Dominant Performance

Marta Kostyuk, 23, continues her remarkable form on clay this season, having previously secured titles at the Madrid and Rouen Opens. Prior to this match, Kostyuk had never taken a set off Świątek in three professional meetings.

«I'm still in shock to beat such an unbelievable player who won four times here,» Kostyuk remarked following the match. «I woke up this morning and I just thought about what an unbelievable day I have to live today to play on Chatrier against Iga.»

Kostyuk controlled the tempo with aggressive serves and precise returns, while Świątek struggled with consistency, particularly with her forehand. As the match progressed, Kostyuk’s confidence visibly surged; at one point, she was even seen dancing to the stadium music during a set break.


Path to the Quarterfinals

Following her victory, Kostyuk is set to face No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals. Svitolina earned her spot after a comeback win against Belinda Bencic, finishing 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.


A Tournament of Upsets

The 2026 Roland Garros tournament has been defined by the premature departure of high-seeded players in both the men’s and women’s draws:

  • Women’s draw: Notable exits include Jessica Pegula (No. 5), Elena Rybakina (No. 2), reigning champion Coco Gauff (No. 4), and Amanda Anisimova (No. 6).
  • Men’s draw: Early round upsets saw the elimination of Daniil Medvedev (No. 6), Alexander Bublik (No. 9), and Ben Shelton (No. 5). The tournament further shocked spectators when top stars like Jannik Sinner (No. 1), Novak Djokovic (No. 3), and Alex de Minaur (No. 8) were knocked out in the third round.