Yulia Starodubtseva achieved a historic victory at Roland Garros
In the 1/32 finals match of the 2026 tournament, Ukrainian tennis player Yulia Starodubtseva unexpectedly defeated the world number two Elena Rybakina. This victory became Starodubtseva's first career win over a top-10 ranked opponent — previously, she had failed to win in seven such encounters. Moreover, this success became the highest-ranked for Ukrainian female tennis players in the entire history of performances at Roland Garros.
A new milestone for Ukrainian sports
Earlier at this clay major, representatives from Ukraine had only won against top-5 opponents twice. Notably, Starodubtseva became the first tennis player in the Open era to defeat a top-5 seeded opponent at Roland Garros in a match that concluded with a tiebreak in the third set. Currently, Yulia is ranked 55th in the world rankings.
After the match, the athlete spoke about her boyfriend Pearce Dolan, who is also her coach.
“He said he would propose if I make it into the top 50. Now he is scared. I am getting closer,”Starodubtseva shared. In the next round of Roland Garros, she will meet Chinese player Wang Xiyu.
This victory holds immense significance for Ukrainian tennis, as the successes of local athletes against top players at Roland Garros have been rare in the past. Starodubtseva continues to train hard, proving that she is capable of competing at a high level, which inspires hope for new achievements in professional sports.
Despite a recent loss in Rome, Starodubtseva is demonstrating impressive progress on the court, highlighting her drive for high achievements. This victory at Roland Garros not only solidified her position in the world rankings but also opened up new prospects for Ukrainian tennis on the international stage.