Swiatek battles back fiercely and brilliantly to beat Rybakina

TRIPLE-DEFENDING Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek battled into the quarter-finals of the French Open on Sunday, overcoming a bruising first-set loss to eventually defeat former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.

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The four-time holder of the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen displayed great resilience to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 29 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Swiatek will next face Elina Svitolina for a place in the semi-finals, after the Ukrainian earlier saved three match points to eliminate last year's runner-up, Jasmine Paolini.

After winning Roland Garros last year to complete a remarkable treble of clay-court victories in Madrid, Rome, and Paris, the Pole's turbulent 2025 season looked set to hit a new low as she found herself a set and a break down against the 12th-seeded Kazakh.

Following early exits at the Madrid and Italian Opens this year, Swiatek appeared headed for another disappointing result at the tournament she has dominated since lifting her first title in 2020.