Swiatek Leads Charge as Andreeva, Kostyuk Also Power into French Open Last 16

PARIS: Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk showcased their tennis prowess by advancing to the fourth round of the French Open after dominant victories on Friday.

Four-times champion Iga Swiatek eased into the fourth round with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Magda Linette in an all-Polish clash.

Former world number one Swiatek recovered from a brief first-set dip in concentration, taking revenge for her early exit at the hands of Linette in Miami in March.

Ranked third in the world, Swiatek has not won a title on clay since her 2024 French Open victory.

On a hot and hazy day in Paris, Swiatek was a break down but took the initiative, winning three games on the trot.

Linette, ranked 73rd, was back in business after yet another break but her slow second serve was a weakness, with Swiatek attacking it at every opportunity. A Linette double fault and a passing shot gave Swiatek another break and she served out the set in the next game.

Another two breaks early in the second saw Swiatek race to a 4-1 lead before sealing the win after an hour and 25 minutes.

Swiatek will next face 15th seed Marta Kostyuk after the Ukrainian beat Swiss Viktorija Golubic in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva, a semi-finalist in Paris two years ago, cruised past Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2.

She will next face Jil Teichmann of Switzerland who beat 10th-seeded Czech Karolina Muchova 6-1 7-5.

Andreeva, 19, had a rocky start and hit the racket on her thigh in frustration as Bouzkova earned a break point at 3-2, but she managed to hold despite losing her temper again and swiping the clay with her racket a little later.

The Russian, known for her volatile on-court temper at times, managed to keep her composure and take the edge in the match when she broke Bouzkova to go 5-4 up and wrap up the first set after 49 minutes.

She earned two more breaks in the second to go 5-2 up and serve out the match in the next game.

Andreeva has now beaten Bouzkova three times this season after Adelaide and Miami for a perfect 5-0 record against the Czech. She has also bagged 32 wins so far this year, leading the Tour for most match victories this season.

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk also reached the fourth round on Friday, defeating Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-3 to extend her unbeaten run on clay this season.

The 23-year-old world number 15 still had to fight hard to get past the experienced Golubic, a decade her senior. The two women traded long and powerful baseline rallies, with some jaw-dropping winners.

The first set extended beyond an hour as Golubic saved three set points, one with a bold volley at the net, before eventually conceding the set on an unforced error at the fourth opportunity.

At 4-2 in the second set Kostyuk cemented her lead with an under-arm serve.

It is the first time she has reached the last 16 at Roland Garros since 2021.

In other third round matches, 7th seed Elina Svitolina beat Tamara Korpatsch 6-2 6-3, Sorana Cîrstea beat Solana Sierra 6-0 6-0, Wang Xiyu beat Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3 7-5.

In men’s section, Andrey Rublev shrugged off the mystique around his unmistakable mane of red hair, saying at the French Open on Friday that there were no secrets to his look and his rise up the world rankings shaped how it was perceived.

Rublev’s shaggy hair has grown noticeably longer in recent months and has remained largely undisturbed by the sweat and the stress of competition, becoming as recognisable as his striking forehand and sometimes volatile temper.

“No secrets, I guess I was just lucky. The way I wake up is the way it is,” world number 13 Rublev told reporters following his 7-5 7-6(2) 7-6(2) third round win over Nuno Borges.

Rafael Jodar beat Alex Michelsen 7-6 6-7 4-6 6-3 6-3, Pablo Carreño Busta beat Thiago Agustín Tirante 7-6 7-5 3-6 6-4, Matteo Berrettini beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-4 6-4 6-4 to reach the fourth round on Friday.

Raphael Collignon has ensured just one top-eight seed remains in a wide-open top half of the men’s singles after humbling fifth seed Ben Shelton to reach the third round later on Thursday.

The unseeded 24-year-old derailed the American’s bid with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

The two-hour, three-minute victory, in which Collingnon claimed 43 of 49 first-serve points and never faced a break point, made the world No.62 the first Belgian to land a top-five win at a major since coach Darcis stunned Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 13 years ago.

Up next for Collignon is Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who beat 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

In other actions, Auger-Aliassime fought off Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga 4-6, 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 and Cobolli ousted Wu Yibing 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Matteo Berrettini, a quarter-finalist in 2021, ousted home hope and 22nd seed Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. American Brandon Nakashima also earned a win against a Frenchman, defeating Luca Van Assche 6-7(5), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. Agencies

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