French Open 2026: Iga Swiatek wins in more ways than one on Day 4

Iga Swiatek is the four time French Open champion. She is the third seed in this year’s tournament. Swiatek is looking to regain the form that gave her the informal nickname “Queen of the Clay” a few years ago.

Swiatek’s draw was challenging. However, in Day 4 of the tournament, she won her second round match and got a little help with upsets to make her path to the final at Roland Garros a little easier. Two Grand Slam champions in her section of the draw, Jelena Ostapenko and Elena Rybakina, lost their second round matches.

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Jelena Ostapenko loses

The projected third round opponent for Swiatek was Jelena Ostapenko. Ostapenko is undefeated against Swiatek in six previous meetings. She has defeated her on every surface.

Ostapenko lost to Magda Linette.

The all Polish third round tennis match is a more favorable matchup for Swiatek who is 1-1 head-to-head against Linette. Linette beat Swiatek at this year’s Miami Open. They have never played on clay.

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Elena Rybakina loses

Swiatek’s projected semifinal opponent was supposed to be Elena Rybakina. Rybakina was beaten by Charleston Open finalist Yulia Starodubtseva.

The coast is never completely clear in a Grand Slam until the final point is played especially on clay. Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff loom large as well as this spring’s clay court champions Marta Kostyuk (Madrid Open), Elina Svitolina (Italian Open), and Emma Navarro (Strasbourg Open).