Swiatek Bounces Into Roland Garros Third Round
By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
Trampolining high off the terre battue, Iga Swiatek soared in a series of kangaroo jumps.
Even when the ball wasn’t in play, Swiatek was ready for launch.
A dynamic Swiatek bounced 35th-ranked Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 to land in the Roland Garros third round for the eighth consecutive season.
Four-time French Open champion Swiatek raced out to 4-1 leads in both sets, but the left-handed Bejlek played some of her best tennis late in each set to extend them.
“Yeah, for sure it was a tricky match in terms of the rhythm, because Sara plays differently than most of the players,” Swiatek said. “But I’m happy with the way I adjusted and how I was making decisions, because sometimes, yeah, it was not so obvious when to go and attack and stay back.
“But at the end I felt it pretty good.”
It only got better for the six-time Grand Slam champion as the day progressed.
After Swiatek stamped a 93-minute victory, her coach, Francisco Roig, was spotted scouting her third-round opponent: either 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko or compatriot Magda Linette.
The 29th-seeded Ostapenko has been a career-long nightmare nemesis for Swiatek winning all six of their prior meetings. Linette took Ostapenko out 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 clearing the path for her Polish compatriot while posing a different challenge to Swiatek.
The 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Linette has split two prior meetings with Swiatek. Linette beat Swiatek 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 at the Miami Open in March—a defeat that prompted Swiatek to split with coach Wim Fissette and hire her hero, Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach Roig.
Still, Team Swiatek should be thrilled Ostapenko won’t be awaiting in round three.
Overall, Swiatek should be pleased with her 71 percent first-serve percentage and her fast start in both sets.
There were some sloppy patches of play as well.
Former No. 1 Swiatek scattered 38 unforced errors, hit six double faults and won just seven of 25 second-serve points. Credit Bejlek for firing her forehand with ambition in converting four of five break points.
Still, Swiatek solidified her status as a strong frontrunner in Paris: the Pole improved to 42-3 lifetime at Roland Garros, including an immaculate 38-0 mark when winning the first set.
Swiatek said her persistence playing proactive tennis combined with Bejlek’s tricky lefty topspin forehand contributed to her unforced error count.
“Yes, sometimes for sure I made some mistakes while playing these high balls, because also, you know, the ball is jumping quite high. It’s not easy to judge if it’s the one that you should go or stay back and wait for the next one, you know,” Swiatek said. “I think it was her nice defense and the way she plays.
“So, yeah, that’s why I said the rhythm wasn’t quite obvious. Sometimes, you know, also from the same
shots she was really playing flat, and sometimes totally opposite. Pretty unpredictable, I would say.
But I didn’t mind. I wanted to be flexible and adjust and play my game.
“So, yeah, sometimes I had some moments where the mistakes happened, but at the end I feel like I was the one that had control over the game, and it was up to me if I’m going to finish this points or
make a mistake.”
After Swiatek stamped a 93-minute victory, her coach, Francisco Roig, was spotted scouting her third-round opponent: either 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko or compatriot Magda Linette.
The 29th-seeded Ostapenko has been a career-long nightmare nemesis for Swiatek winning all six of their prior meetings. The 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Linette has split two prior meetings with Swiatek. Linette beat Swiatek 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 at the Miami Open in March—a defeat that prompted Swiatek to split with coach Wim Fissette and hire her hero, Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach Roig.
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