Iga Swiatek delivered a dramatic escape at Roland Garros, rallying from a set and a break down to defeat Elena Rybakina 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a fourth-round thriller that tested the four-time French Open champion like never before Rybakina, who had beaten Swiatek in both their previous clay-court meetings, stormed to a 6-1, 2-0 lead with a barrage of winners and powerful backhands that even knocked Swiatek’s racquet from her hand.
Swiatek, known for her dominance on clay, looked on the brink of a rare Roland Garros defeat, committing 27 unforced errors in the first nine games and struggling with her serve But a missed volley from Rybakina opened the door, and Swiatek seized momentum, stringing together consecutive points and clawing back to level the match.
The deciding set was a nerve-wracking affair, with both players exchanging breaks and the tension peaking when a Rybakina double fault on break point was overturned by the umpire, giving the Kazakh a lifeline at 5-4 Swiatek, undeterred, broke again and served out the match in two hours and 30 minutes, extending her Roland Garros winning streak to 25 matches and matching Monica Seles for the second-longest streak in tournament history.
Swiatek now stands three wins away from a historic fourth consecutive French Open title and will face Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals For Rybakina, the loss is a tough blow after coming so close to ending the champion’s reign, but her performance proves she remains one of the few players capable of pushing Swiatek to the limit on clay.
