Ukraine's Performances at the 2026 French Open
Veronika Podrez, a Ukrainian tennis player, saw her run at the 2026 French Open qualifying come to an end after a first-round loss to Czech opponent Dominika Šalková. The match, which took place in the quarterfinal stage of qualifying, ended with a score of 6:2, 6:4. This marked Podrez’s first-ever appearance in the qualifying rounds of a Grand Slam tournament. Notably, this was the second time this season she faced Šalková; back in April, Podrez had defeated the same player in the final qualifying round of the WTA 250 event in Rouen.
Despite Podrez’s exit, Ukraine still has representation in the women’s qualifying draw through Katarina Zavatska, who is set to play her first-round match against Carol Zhao. On the men’s side, Ukrainian player Vitaliy Sachko successfully advanced past the opening round of Roland Garros qualifying by beating Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones in a three-set quarterfinal clash. This is Sachko’s second attempt at qualifying for Roland Garros—two years ago he failed to make it through. This year, he secured his first-ever victory at a major in France.
What’s Next for Ukrainian Players
Podrez’s defeat in qualifying represents a key milestone in her career, as she competed in such a prestigious event for the first time. Meanwhile, Zavatska’s continued participation and Sachko’s success highlight the growing potential of Ukrainian tennis players on the international stage.
Watching how these athletes perform in upcoming matches could offer valuable insight into their professional development.
While Podrez's journey at Roland Garros has come to an end, her recent achievements demonstrate her potential on the professional circuit. For instance, she successfully qualified for the main draw of a WTA 125 tournament in Paris just before this event. To learn more about her impressive performance and what lies ahead for her, check out the details in our article about her securing a spot in the WTA 125 main draw here.