Marta Kostyuk shocks Iga Swiatek to reach first French Open quarterfinal

Marta Kostyuk stunned four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 to reach her first French Open quarterfinal and extend her clay-court winning streak to 16 matches. The victory ended Swiatek's campaign and ensured a first-time women's champion at Roland Garros

Paris: There will be a first-time women’s champion at Roland Garros this year, and the odds are stacked in favour of Marta Kostyuk.

Undefeated this season on clay, the 15th-seeded Ukrainian reached the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time on Sunday by defeating four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and spoiling her birthday celebrations.

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None of the players still in the draw have lifted the trophy in Paris, following Coco Gauff’s elimination on Saturday and Swiatek’s exit. The same is true in the men’s draw after the defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, with Carlos Alcaraz absent because of injury.

Kostyuk had lost her three previous matches against Swiatek and had never taken a set off the former world No. 1, who turned 25 on Sunday.

“I’m still in shock. To beat such an unbelievable player, who has won four times here,” she said.

Kostyuk has been the standout player of the clay-court season. She defended extremely well, chasing down Swiatek’s shots all over the court, and also produced some stunning groundstroke winners, while her rival was undone by her own mistakes.

An intense baseline battle unfolded from the outset and Swiatek earned the first break when she overwhelmed Kostyuk after a long rally with a backhand winner. Kostyuk broke back immediately, though, only to drop her serve again and hand Swiatek a 5-4 lead.

The Polish player showed signs of nerves as she double-faulted, sent a forehand wide and then missed a volley at the net, allowing Kostyuk to level at 5-5. Swiatek hit two more double faults in the 12th game and the 15th-seeded Ukrainian sealed the set with a backhand passing shot.

Swiatek then briefly left the court. Meanwhile, Kostyuk kept herself warm by stretching and hopping beside her chair before receiving applause as she performed a few dance moves to the music playing in the stadium.

Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees Celsius around midday.

When play resumed, Swiatek broke serve, but another double fault coupled with more unforced errors brought her opponent level at 1-1. Kostyuk then won the last five games.

Kostyuk had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2021, where she lost to Swiatek.

The world No. 15 is enjoying a strong run of form and extended her winning streak on clay to 16 matches. Ahead of Roland Garros, she won the title in Madrid, the biggest of her career, after claiming another clay-court title in Rouen, France.

“The most important thing that I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy it,” she said. “It’s helping. I want to keep enjoying it. I try not to focus at all on winning or losing because I’m not playing tennis to win, I’m playing tennis because I love it.”

Swiatek has not won a title on clay since the 2024 French Open.

**17 years later**

Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, beat Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach her second Roland Garros quarterfinal, 17 years after first making it to the last eight.

The gap between Cirstea’s first and second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris is the longest at a single major by any woman in the Open Era.

“There is no expiration date for ambition and dreams,” Cirstea said. “And I have so much passion for this sport. I absolutely love tennis and to still be able to play at this level, with my family, my team and my closest people watching me.

“It’s an absolute joy. Sometimes society puts us into certain groups because of age, but I think in life you are free to do whatever you want, and I want to play. And here I am.”