Red-hot Kostyuk stuns birthday girl Swiatek at French Open

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, by far the hottest woman on clay this season with titles at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open and WTA 250 Open de Rouen, spoiled the birthday celebrations of four-time French Open champion and world No 3 Iga Swiatek in ruthless fashion on Sunday with a clinical 7-5, 6-1 win in the Round of 16.

The world No 15, who is still unbeaten on clay in 2026 and is on a 15-match winning streak, moved into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the first time in her career.

"I'm still in shock to beat such an unbelievable player who won four times here and I lost four times to her before this, I never took a set off her," 23-year-old Kostyuk said.

The first set went on serve until the seventh game when Swiatek pounced on Kostyuk's service to move in front.

From there, the Pole's own delivery deserted her as the Ukrainian hit back to level before the pair again exchanged another pair of breaks.

Kostyuk then dug in to hold and force the former world number one to try and serve to stay in the set.

Two Swiatek double faults gave Kostyuk the chance to claim the opener and she did with a low cross-court backhand that whizzed past her opponent at the net.

Swiatek swiftly departed the court at the interval in a bid to regroup.

She came back out firing as she immediately nosed ahead with a break to 15.

But Kostyuk was not to be denied as she sealed a three-game streak with a bruising forehand winner past a stranded Swiatek to lead 3-1.

A stunning rally concluded with a reflex volley at the net that Swiatek could not equal. In the next game a dominant Kostyuk held to love to move Swiatek to the brink.

The match was up for the six-time major winner as Kostyuk consistently pinned the Pole back with her powerful groundstrokes to win the final two games.

Kostyuk will face either seventh-seeded compatriot Elina Svitolina or Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic for a spot in the semi-finals.