Iga Swiatek Eliminated by Marta Kostyuk at French Open

Iga Świątek’s campaign at the 2026 French Open came to an abrupt end on Sunday as she was defeated in straight sets by No. 15 seed Marta Kostyuk [2]. The 7-5, 6-1 loss on Court Philippe-Chatrier marks the earliest exit for the four-time champion at Roland Garros since her tournament debut in 2019 [2].

Key takeaways

• Marta Kostyuk defeated Iga Świątek 7-5, 6-1 to reach the next stage of the French Open [2].
• Świątek committed 39 unforced errors during the match and recorded only 13 winners [2].
• The loss represents Świątek’s earliest departure from the French Open since 2019 [2].
• Świątek had entered the match with a 3-0 career record against Kostyuk [1].

A struggle for consistency

The match began with Świątek appearing to hold the advantage, as she twice led by a break in the opening set, including a moment when she served for the set at 5-4 [1]. However, she was unable to capitalize on those opportunities, with her own errors allowing Kostyuk to stay in the contest [1]. In the second set, Świątek secured an early break, but her performance subsequently faltered as she struggled to generate free points from her serve [1].

As the match progressed, the pressure on Świątek’s baseline game intensified, leading to a surge of unforced errors that Kostyuk successfully exploited [1]. By the end of the match, Świątek had tallied 39 unforced errors against just 13 winners [2]. The defeat highlighted ongoing challenges in Świątek’s game, specifically regarding her shot selection and her ability to close out points decisively, issues she has been working to address with her new coach, Francisco Roig [1].

Why it matters

The defeat is a significant setback for Świątek, who had been looking to regain her form after a difficult start to the 2026 season [1]. Following a series of losses earlier this year, including a second-round exit at the Miami Open, Świątek had parted ways with coach Wim Fissette and hired Roig to help her develop a more patient, "wall-like" style of play [1]. While she had shown signs of progress in earlier rounds—including a straight-sets victory over Sara Bejlek and a third-round win against Magda Linette—the loss to Kostyuk indicates that the transition remains a work in progress [1]. For Kostyuk, the victory represents a major breakthrough, as the women's draw continues to see significant shifts following the earlier elimination of No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina [1, 2].