Paris — Marta Kostyuk produced a major upset Sunday at the French Open by defeating four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in her career at Roland Garros. The 15th-seeded Ukrainian had lost all three previous encounters with Swiatek and had never taken a set from the former world number one before Sunday’s match, which coincided with Swiatek’s 25th birthday.

Kostyuk, undefeated this clay-court season with a current winning streak of 16 matches, showcased strong defense and consistent groundstrokes, capitalizing on unforced errors and multiple double faults from Swiatek. After a tense baseline battle, Kostyuk secured the first set by overcoming a late surge from Swiatek. In the second set, she broke away with five consecutive games to close out the match. Swiatek briefly left the court during a pause in play, while Kostyuk stayed active, stretching and engaging with the crowd.

Ahead of the tournament, Kostyuk claimed the biggest title of her career in Madrid and added another clay-court trophy in Rouen, France. Reflecting on her approach, she said she tries to focus on enjoying the game rather than the outcome, emphasizing her love for tennis above winning.

Kostyuk’s next opponent will be compatriot Elina Svitolina, the seventh seed, who advanced to the quarterfinals by rallying from a set down to defeat Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. Their matchup guarantees a Ukrainian woman will reach the semifinals at Roland Garros for the first time in the professional era, a milestone seen as inspiring amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Svitolina acknowledged the significance of this achievement for Ukrainian tennis and the broader context of the war affecting their homeland.

Other notable quarterfinalists on the women’s side include Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who defeated Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). Cirstea, planning to retire later this year, reached her second French Open quarterfinal 17 years after her first, marking the longest gap between major quarterfinal appearances by any woman in the Open Era. She highlighted how experience and maturity have reshaped her game over time.

Russian player Mirra Andreeva also advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight-sets victory over Jil Teichmann, 6-3, 6-2. With the recent exits of past champions and top-seeded players, the women’s draw remains wide open for a first-time winner at Roland Garros.

On the men’s side, teenage Spanish player Rafael Jodar reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal by coming back from two sets down to defeat Pablo Carreno Busta. Jodar will face second seed Alexander Zverev, who advanced with a straight-sets win over Jesper de Jong. Additionally, 19-year-old Joao Fonseca continued his impressive run by overcoming two-time finalist Casper Ruud and is set to face Jakub Mensik in the next round.

After a week marked by intense heat, cooler temperatures on Sunday contributed to the players’ performances as the tournament heads into its decisive stages.