Kostyuk upsets Swiatek as French Open top seeds tumble in Paris

Four-time champion Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the French Open on Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Paris, losing 7-5, 6-1 to Ukraine’s 15th seed Marta Kostyuk in the round of 16. The defeat ended Swiatek’s bid for a fifth Roland Garros crown and gave Kostyuk her first win over the Pole. It also prolonged a run of upsets at this year’s tournament following recent exits by men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic and defending women’s champion Coco Gauff.

After an even opening phase featuring traded breaks, Kostyuk tightened her game late in the first set and then accelerated through the second to close out the upset in straight sets. The result lifted her season record on clay to 15-0 and underlined the momentum she has brought into Paris.

The 21-year-old will face either seventh-seeded compatriot Elina Svitolina or 11th seed Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals, with their fourth-round match set to determine her next opponent.

With several headline names already out, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka now profiles as the leading contender for a maiden title in Paris, though Kostyuk’s form keeps her firmly in the conversation entering the second week.

Kostyuk’s rise continues on clay

First win over Swiatek, perfect 15-0 run

Kostyuk had lost her previous three meetings with Swiatek without winning a set, but she found greater range off both wings in Paris and backed it with assertive returning. She said on court that the occasion left her in disbelief and that she has been focusing less on outcomes and more on the joy of competing and connecting with fans.

Her undefeated run on clay has been built on titles in Rouen and Madrid this spring, and she has carried that rhythm to Roland Garros with disciplined baseline play and timely serving in pressure moments.

Cirstea returns to Roland Garros quarterfinals

Veteran milestone and Wang’s exit

Elsewhere, Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea beat China’s Wang Xinyu 6-3, 7-6(4) to reach her first French Open quarterfinal in 17 years. The 36-year-old, who has said she will retire at the end of the season, booked a third career Grand Slam quarterfinal with a composed display that withstood a late tie-break push.

The milestone marks the longest interval between a player’s first two quarterfinals at a women’s singles major in the Open era. Cirstea reflected afterward on her enduring passion for tennis, saying ambition does not have an expiry date and that she takes pride in continuing to compete at the highest level.

Wang, China’s No. 1, departed on the same day as Swiatek, adding to a weekend of turnover in both draws. The exits have opened pathways for emerging names and seasoned campaigners alike as the quarterfinal line-ups begin to take shape.

Kostyuk’s next match and the resolution of the remaining fourth-round ties will set the quarterfinal slate on Monday, with attention on whether Sabalenka can capitalise on a shaken field and whether Kostyuk can extend her flawless clay run.