Four Ukrainian Women Set a Record at Roland Garros

Ukrainian Tennis Players Shine at the 2026 French Open

According to Главком: A historic milestone has been reached at the 2026 French Open, where four Ukrainian women advanced to the third round-a national record for the country. Yuliya Starodubtseva delivered a standout performance by defeating world No. 2 Elena Rybakina, marking the highest-ranked opponent ever beaten by a Ukrainian player at Roland Garros.

Results and Achievements

The players who made it to the round of 32 are:

• Elina Svitolina
• Marta Kostyuk
• Yuliya Starodubtseva
• Oleksandra Oliynykova

Ukraine’s previous best showing at Roland Garros came in 2025, when three players-Elina Svitolina, Yuliya Starodubtseva, and Dayana Yastremska-reached the third round. This is only the second time in history that four Ukrainians have competed in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament. The first instance was at the 2024 Australian Open, where Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, Dayana Yastremska, and Lesia Tsurenko all advanced.

In the second round, Oleksandra Oliynykova defeated Australia’s Kimberly Birrell with a score of 6:3, 0:6, 7:6. Elina Svitolina (seeded 7) beat Spain’s Kaitlin Quevedo 6:0, 6:4, while Marta Kostyuk (seeded 15) overcame the United States’ Katie Volynets 6:7, 6:3, 6:3. The standout moment of the second round was Yuliya Starodubtseva’s victory over Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina (seeded 2) with a score of 3:6, 6:1, 7:6. This win was Starodubtseva’s first against a top-10 opponent after seven previous attempts.

Notably, Ukrainian players had previously defeated top-5 opponents at the clay-court major twice, with wins by Elina Svitolina and Kateryna Baindl. Starodubtseva also became the first player in the Open Era to beat a top-5 seed at Roland Garros in a match that ended with a third-set tiebreak.

In the third round, the Ukrainian players will face the following opponents:

• Elina Svitolina will take on Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch
• Marta Kostyuk will play against Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic
• Yuliya Starodubtseva will compete against China’s Wang Xiyu
• Oleksandra Oliynykova will face the winner of the match between Diana Shnaider (Russia) and McCartney Kessler (USA)

This achievement highlights the growing strength of Ukrainian tennis on the global stage. Sending four players to the third round of the French Open demonstrates their potential and readiness to compete at the highest level. Starodubtseva’s victory over Rybakina could also be a pivotal moment in her career, opening up new opportunities for further success at Grand Slam events.

The remarkable achievements of Ukrainian players at Roland Garros this year echo the historic performance of five compatriots in the previous tournament. Their success not only highlights the growing strength of Ukrainian tennis but also sets the stage for future competitions. To explore the details of this impressive milestone, read more about how these athletes made history in the latest Grand Slam tournament here.