Kostyuk Stuns Swiatek on Her Birthday in Paris
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk beat four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the French Open fourth round, on the very day the Pole turned 25.
- Marta Kostyuk beat Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 in the French Open fourth round.
- Swiatek suffered the loss on her 25th birthday, as a four-time champion of the tournament.
- For the first time in Paris there is no former champion left in either the men's or women's draw, so a first-time champion is now guaranteed.
- In the quarter-finals Kostyuk faces compatriot Elina Svitolina.
The Sunday night crowd on centre court held its breath as the final ball dropped beyond the line. The player who had walked off three times before against the same opponent, head bowed, now stood with her arms spread wide and simply could not believe what she had done. Paris had its shock.
Marta Kostyuk toppled Iga Swiatek by 7-5, 6-1 in the French Open fourth round, and she did it on the very day the Pole celebrated her 25th birthday. The Ukrainian, the 15th seed, knocked out the four-time champion and third seed on the clay where Swiatek had been almost untouchable for years.
How did the clay fortress fall?
Swiatek has long been a byword for dominance in Paris, but this time nothing went to plan. The Pole played her weakest match at the tournament since her debut back in 2019, and the numbers confirm it without mercy.
- 5 double faults that handed Kostyuk free points
- 39 unforced errors against just 13 winners
- her first birthday defeat at this level in her career
On the other side of the net, Kostyuk played as if she had nothing to lose. She set the tempo, kept her length deep and never let her rival settle into the familiar rhythm that usually grinds opponents down. She stretched her clay-court run to 16 wins in a row and stayed unbeaten on the surface all season.
What comes next for Kostyuk in Paris?
The win carries historic weight too. With every former champion now eliminated, Roland Garros is guaranteed a first-time women’s champion, since neither draw has a single player left holding a previous title. The door is wide open, and Kostyuk is suddenly among the favourites few would have backed two weeks ago.
In the quarter-finals she meets compatriot Elina Svitolina, who came from behind to beat Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. It will be a Ukrainian duel for a semi-final place, with an extra emotional edge.
Kostyuk herself still could not bring herself back down to earth.
To beat such an incredible player who has won here four times, I lost three times to her, never even took a set off her, I still cannot believe it.
There is something fitting about a player who for years could not win a single set against her rival suddenly taking the whole match, and on the biggest stage of all. The quarter-final is on Wednesday, and Paris already knows it is watching a tournament with no script. Is this the start of a deep run for Marta Kostyuk, or simply one unforgettable night?
