Kostyuk turns defense into weapon against Swiatek
An early birthday gift for the Ukrainian came wrapped in relentless retrieval and timely passing shots that left the four-time champion searching for answers on a cooling Chatrier.
Marta Kostyuk reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday. The 15th-ranked Ukrainian arrived with a 16-match clay streak that included the Madrid crown and a title in Rouen, setting the stage for a baseline duel where every extra step counted.
To beat such an unbelievable player who won four times here, I’d lost [three] times to her, never taken a set off her, I still cannot believe it. I think the most important thing I’ve been doing is really just trying to enjoy. 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.
From the opening exchange the slower surface rewarded Kostyuk’s ability to slide wide and redirect crosscourt. Swiatek claimed the first break with a backhand winner after a grinding rally, yet the response came immediately as the Ukrainian leveled and then seized control with a backhand pass to close the set.
Clay rewards extended defensive stance
Novak Djokovic was the last former men’s champion standing before he was knocked out in the third round Thursday, so the result locked in new singles champions across both draws. Kostyuk had reached only the fourth round here in 2021, losing to Swiatek then, but this time varied return depth to blunt inside-out patterns and force extra steps on every point.
After her first-round win, Kostyuk fought back tears when she described how she found out on the morning of the match that a missile almost hit her parents’ home in Ukraine. That residue translated into clearer focus once the ball was live, keeping rallies alive long enough for unforced errors to accumulate on the other side of the net.
Double faults arrived in clusters for Swiatek during the second set whenever she tried to play safe rather than dictate. Kostyuk absorbed heavy topspin without overcommitting and waited for the short ball that allowed her to step inside and finish down the line.
Enjoyment mindset unlocks all-Ukrainian clash
Elina Svitolina posted a comeback 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over No. 11 Belinda Bencic and now meets Kostyuk. The pairing guarantees at least one player from the country in the semifinals, carrying extra weight given the ongoing conflict back home.
No. 18 Sorana Cirstea also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Wang Xiyu. At 36 she is the third-oldest woman to reach the round of 16 at the French Open in the Open era since 1968 and the oldest since Billie Jean King in 1980.
Cirstea will next face No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-2. The temperature drop to 70 degrees slowed the court further, favoring the player willing to extend points rather than end them early.
Kostyuk credited the shift to a deliberate choice to focus on the simple pleasure of competing rather than outcomes. That approach let her stay present even when Swiatek briefly broke serve early in the second set before the final five games slipped away. The same mindset now travels into the quarterfinals against a fellow Ukrainian comfortable on clay.