Marta Kostyuk beats Elina Svitolina in a historic French Open quarterfinal
Marta Kostyuk defeated Elina Svitolina 6:3, 2:6, 6:2 in the French Open quarterfinal, becoming the first Ukrainian woman to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam. Kostyuk called the match her most important of the year.
Key points
- Kostyuk beat Svitolina 6:3, 2:6, 6:2 in the French Open quarterfinal.
- The victory made her the first Ukrainian to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
- Kostyuk described the match as her most important of the year.
- She reached the French Open and Wimbledon semifinals and the Brisbane final.
- Kostyuk won a WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid.
- She was ranked 10th in the world at the end of 2026.
Why it matters
The win made Kostyuk the first Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Her straight-sets victory over Svitolina also confirmed her high level in 2026, a season that included a Brisbane final, a WTA 1000 title in Madrid and semifinal appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon.
What happened
Marta Kostyuk defeated Elina Svitolina in the French Open quarterfinal 6:3, 2:6, 6:2. After the first two sets were split, Kostyuk won the deciding set 6:2. The victory brought her into the semifinals and made history for Ukrainian tennis, as she became the first Ukrainian to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam. Kostyuk said the match was her most important of the year.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian media emphasized the historic significance of the quarterfinal for Ukrainian tennis and the personal importance of the victory for Kostyuk. They also placed the result within the context of her achievements in other tournaments.
Background
Kostyuk was ranked 10th in the world at the end of 2026. Her earlier results on major tournaments included the Wimbledon semifinal, the quarterfinal at the French Open and a third-round finish at the US Open. She also reached the final in Brisbane and won a WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid.