Iga Świątek's bid for French Open glory ended on her 25th birthday when 15th seed Marta Kostyuk defeated her 7-5, 6-1 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in the fourth round.
The Polish star, who has won the Roland Garros title twice before, could not find her rhythm against Kostyuk's aggressive baseline play. Świątek admitted after the match that tension got the better of her and she made poor tactical choices that cost her dearly.
Speaking candidly about the loss, Świątek said she lost control of the match early and never recovered. She acknowledged making decisions on court that she later regretted, describing them as stupid in the heat of the moment. The 25-year-old struggled to impose her usual game and allowed Kostyuk to dictate play throughout the encounter.
The defeat marks a disappointing exit for Świątek, who came to Paris as one of the tournament favourites. Kostyuk's dominant performance, particularly in the second set where she won 6-1, showed the depth of talent at this year's French Open. Świątek will now regroup and focus on her next tournament after what she considers a match lost as much to her own mental lapses as to her opponent's quality.
