By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
Birthday celebrations turned sour for four time French Open champion Iga Świątek after she suffered a stunning exit from the Roland Garros on Sunday.
Swiatek, who was no 3 seed, lost to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the fourth round bringing an abrupt end to her quest for a fifth title in Paris.
The 25-year-old Polish star, widely regarded as the “Queen of Clay” for her dominance on the Parisian red dirt, went down 7-5, 6-1 to the in-form Kostyuk on Sunday. The defeat marked Świątek’s earliest French Open exit since her debut appearance in 2019 and ended one of the most successful runs in recent tournament history.
The defeat of Swiatek came a day after defending champion Coco Gauff was eliminated from the French Open after she lost to Russian-born Anastasia Potapova 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Świątek, a four-time French Open champion, struggled with unforced errors and an inconsistent serve throughout the contest. After a closely fought opening set, Kostyuk seized control of the match, winning six consecutive games in the second set to complete one of the biggest upsets of the tournament after the early exit of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic in men’s section.
The loss came on Świątek’s 25th birthday, making the disappointment even more painful for the former world number one. Following the match, she admitted that tension affected her performance and decision-making on court, saying she failed to find the composure that had helped her dominate Roland Garros in previous years.
For Kostyuk, the victory was a landmark achievement. The 15th seed entered the tournament in excellent form after strong results during the clay-court season and carried that momentum into Paris. She advanced to her maiden French Open quarter-final and extended her impressive winning streak on clay.
Świątek’s departure guarantees that Roland Garros will crown a new women’s champion this year, signaling a significant shift in the women’s game after years of her dominance on clay.