Marta Kostyuk ousts Iga Swiatek to guarantee first-time Roland Garros women's champion

The men’s draw at this year’s Roland Garros is anyone’s for the taking, with a first-time Grand Slam champion set to be crowned in a week’s time.

The women’s draw is also heading in that direction. A day after defending champion Coco Gauff bowed out, four-time title holder Iga Swiatek was ousted by a red-hot Marta Kostyuk.

The No. 15 seed pulled away from the world No. 3, 7-5, 6-1, for her 16th consecutive clay-court win. Swiatek—who turned 25 Sunday—served for the first set at 5-4, but was broken during a stretch of four successive games won by the returner.

Kostyuk won nine of the final 10 games for her first win over the Pole to reach her second major quarterfinal (2024 Australian Open). The 23-year-old previously lifted trophies in Rouen and Madrid, her first WTA 1000 triumph, during the European clay-court swing.

“I think the most important thing I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy,” she said during her on-court interview. “I woke up today in the morning and all I thought about (was) what an unbelievable day I have to live today. Play on Chatrier and play against Iga. There is nothing else I could do today than this.”

With Kostyuk advancing, it guarantees a first-time French Open winner being celebrated in next Saturday's final. Last year's runner-up Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka and Madison Keys, all Grand Slam champions on hard courts, are each in contention to come through the top quarter of the draw.