PARIS - Marta Kostyuk delivered a seismic shock at the French Open on Sunday, defeating three-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 in the fourth round. The loss on her 25th birthday marks Swiatek's earliest exit at Roland Garros since 2019.
Kostyuk's victory adds to the tournament's extraordinary chaos. Over the last three days, men's world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, and defending women's champion Coco Gauff have all been eliminated.
With the top seeds falling, world number one Aryna Sabalenka emerges as the favorite for her first Paris title. Kostyuk, the 15th seed, now boasts a 15-0 clay-court record this season.
"I'm still in shock," Kostyuk said. "I feel like I've given myself more space to just create something."
Swiatek reflected on a difficult day: "It wasn't a good day in the office. Many things I could manage a bit better."
Kostyuk next faces fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who defeated Belinda Bencic.