Swiatek goes down against Kostyuk

PARIS – Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek exited Roland Garros on Sunday as the top seeds continued to fall at the start of the second week, while Alexander Zverev booked his spot in the quarterfinals.

The Polish third seed endured a miserable 25th birthday as she went down 7-5, 6-1 to Madrid Open winner Marta Kostyuk.

Since winning Roland Garros in her second appearance at the tournament in 2020, Swiatek had never gone more than two years without hoisting aloft the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, but after Aryna Sabalenka ended her bid to win a fourth consecutive French Open in the semifinals last year, she has lost her unbeatable status on clay.

In Birmingham, Alex Eala with partner Nikola Bartunkova of Czechia opened the grass season with a 4-6, 6-2, 9-11 defeat against the second-seeded British pair of Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden.

The WTA No. 37 Eala will vie in singles play today, seeded No. 1, against Australia’s Priscilla Hon.