The 2026 French Open delivered a thrilling mix of dominance and surprise on Wednesday as Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic secured comfortable progress at Roland-Garros, while Elena Rybakina suffered a stunning early exit that shook the women’s draw.
Swiatek Continues Strong Title Defence
Defending champion Iga Swiatek moved confidently into the third round after defeating Czech teenager Sara Bejlek in straight sets. Despite committing several unforced errors during the match, the Polish star maintained control with her aggressive baseline play and superior clay-court experience.
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, won 6-2, 6-3 and once again underlined why she remains the favourite to lift the title in Paris. The world number one admitted after the match that adapting to the hot and windy conditions was challenging, but her composure helped her finish strongly.
Djokovic Overcomes French Resistance
Novak Djokovic also booked his place in the next round after a competitive four-set victory against French wildcard Valentin Royer. The Serbian veteran dominated the opening two sets before Royer produced a spirited comeback in the third-set tiebreak, energising the home crowd.
However, Djokovic quickly regained control in the fourth set and sealed a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-3 win. The 24-time Grand Slam champion showed his trademark resilience and experience under pressure as he continued his pursuit of another Roland-Garros title.
Rybakina Suffers Major Upset
The biggest shock of the day came when second seed Elena Rybakina was knocked out by Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in a dramatic three-set contest. After comfortably winning the opening set, Rybakina lost momentum as her opponent fought back with confidence and intensity.
Starodubtseva eventually secured a memorable 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(10-4) victory in a tense deciding-set tiebreak. Rybakina struggled with consistency and committed costly errors during crucial moments, allowing the Ukrainian to complete one of the tournament’s biggest surprises so far.
Heat and Pressure Test Players
The intense Paris heat continued to challenge players physically throughout the day, with several matches affected by demanding court conditions. Alongside Swiatek and Djokovic, players including Alexander Zverev, Elina Svitolina and Mirra Andreeva also advanced to the next stage of the tournament.
With major contenders progressing and unexpected exits already reshaping the competition, the 2026 French Open is rapidly building towards an unpredictable second week.
