Iga Swiatek’s 25th birthday celebrations turned sour at the French Open yesterday as the former champion lost 7-5, 6-1 to Ukrainian 15th seed Marta Kostyuk.
Swiatek’s shock defeat comes amid a chaotic spell at Roland Garros in which world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and defending women’s champion Coco Gauff all went out in the last three days.
It leaves women’s number one Aryna Sabalenka as favorite to claim her first title in Paris, though Kostyuk will be one to watch as she builds on the momentum that has helped her sparkle on clay this season.
“I’m still in shock,” Kostyuk said. “I feel like I’ve given myself more space to just create something, to challenge my opponents. I woke up in the morning and all I thought was ‘what an unbelievable day I have to live today ... there’s nothing I could do other than this’.”
It was the first time that Kostyuk had taken a set off the third-seeded Pole after three straight defeats in their previous meetings. The Rouen and Madrid champion took her record on clay this season to 15-0.
Romanian Sorana Cirstea, 36, beat China’s Wang Xinyu 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to reach her first Roland Garros quarter-final in 17 years.
Cirstea is retiring at the end of the season but is in the form of her life.
REUTERS
