Dancing Days: Kostyuk Shreds Swiatek, Charges into Roland Garros Quarterfinals
By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 31, 2026
Photo credit: Julien De Rosa/AFP/Getty
Banging a backhand pass crosscourt to snatch the first set, Marta Kostyuk celebrated smiling and swaying as if moving to music in her mind.
A creative Kostyuk danced all over Iga Swiatek’s defense high-stepping into her maiden Roland Garros quarterfinal with a 7-5, 6-1 thrashing today.
It was Swiatek’s 25th birthday, but Kostyuk turned this clash into her own dance party. Charging through nine of the last 10 games, Kostyuk scored a stunning sweep snapping Swiatek’s streak of six straight Roland Garros quarterfinals and six consecutive Slam quarterfinals.
Though four-time French Open champion Swiatek has a well-earned reputation as clay queen, Kostyuk has cleaned up on dirt as the only undefeated woman on clay this season with a perfect 15-0 Tour-level record on terre battue.
The 15th-seeded Ukrainian covered the court fluidly and struck with conviction, improving to 21-4 on the season with her first career win over former No. 1 Swiatek.
All-court acrobat Kostyuk clipped Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in the Mutua Madrid Open final then celebrated with a brilliant back flip earlier this month.
MORE: Sandra Zaniewska, Marta Kostyuk’s Coach, Talks to Tennis Now
Today, Kostyuk completely flipped the draw open nearly doubling Swiatek’s winner output—25 to 13—and punishing the Pole’s serve converting six of nine break points.
In a tournament of upsets, this match is a milestone. The result, which comes 24 hours after Anastasia Potapova dethroned reigning Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff in a three-set thriller, ensures we will see a maiden French Open champion crowned six days from now.
The 15th-seeded Kostyuk will face either seventh-seeded Ukrainian compatriot Elina Svitolina or 11th-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic for a semifinal spot.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek broke at 30 for a 4-3 lead only to see Kostyuk break back at love to forge a 4-all tie.
The third-seeded Swiatek broke again and served for a one-set lead at 5-4.
Pouncing from a low crouch inside the baseline, Kostyuk crunched deep returns breaking back to level after 10 games.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian came through a demanding 10-point hold for a 6-5 lead.
Casting nervous glances toward her box, Swiatek looked shaken by Kostyuk’s sniper returns.
Then Kostyuk stepped in and torched a two-handed backhand crosscourt capping the first set with a bang and inciting her spontaneous dance celebration.
As Swiatek left the court to try to reset, Kostyuk consulted with coach Sandra Zaniewska and continued her all-court attack.
Chomping on her Wilson racquet after a frustrating, Kostyuk showed bite on her serve, blasting an ace to complete a hard-fought hold for a 2-1 lead after 85 minutes.
A leaping Kostyuk torched a forehand winner down the line scoring the love break with a bang for 3-1.
Across the net, Swiatek wore a look of despondency and already seemed out of answers.
Then a courageous Kostyuk came face-to-face with Swiatek at net. The Ukrainian made two stab volleys before Swiatek flubbed a short forehand. Kostyuk tore through 11 points in a row stretching her lead to 4-1.
Driving the four-time champion back with another crackling return, Kostyuk drew a wild forehand reply breaking serve for the sixth time for a 7-5, 5-1 lead.
Zapping one final serve down the middle, Kostyuk coaxed an errant return wrapping up one of her greatest career moments and continuing her perfect clay campaign.
The 23-year-old Kostyuk, one of Tennis Now’s Roland Garros Dark Horse picks before this tournament began, shed tears following her French Open first-round win.
An emotional Kostyuk shared the story of a frightening missile attack on her native Ukraine. A rocket destroyed a building about 100 meters from her parents’ home in Ukraine leaving Kostyuk breaking down in tears before the match.
Dancing all over Swiatek’s defense today, a confident Kostyuk now stands one win from a maiden major semifinal.
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