French Open upsets mount as Gauff, Swiatek fall in Paris

The 2026 French Open (WTA) is delivering shocks by the hour. Defending champion Coco Gauff exited in the third round to World No. 28 Anastasia Potapova, losing 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4, with Gauff acknowledging what made the difference in her shock loss. The meltdown deepened on day eight when No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, fell 7-5, 6-1 to Marta Kostyuk, the 15th seed from Ukraine, on Swiatek's 25th birthday. Kostyuk has been on a superb run of form, and the upset marks the latest casualty in what has become a wide-open Roland Garros. Elsewhere, Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, has sailed through and now faces Naomi Osaka in Monday's fourth round—the first women's match in the French Open's night-time slot since 2023. Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka has advanced to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time in her career. On the men's side, Zachary Svajda reached the fourth round for the first time, dedicating his win to his late father on what would have been his 61st birthday, while Frances Tiafoe survived another grueling five-set victory, getting into a verbal sparring match with Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria. Off court, Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova made an impassioned speech calling for Russian players to denounce the war, while American Sam Querrey went scorched earth over a ball-kid controversy. The fourth round continues through the weekend as the draw narrows.