Svitolina stages stunning comeback to reach fifth Roland-Garros Quarter-Final

The match was a true emotional thriller. Svitolina lost the first set 4–6 and was trailing 3–5 in the second. Paolini held three match points — at 40–15 and 40–30 on Svitolina’s serve, and again at 6–5 in the tie-break. But Elina remained composed and saved each of them with remarkable poise.

She went on to win the tie-break 8–6, completely shifting the momentum in her favour. Early in the deciding set, Paolini broke down in tears on court, unable to cope with the psychological pressure. Missed opportunities and the loss of control proved fatal.

Svitolina stayed calm and confident, closing out the match 6–1 in the third. Her serve became more consistent, her game sharper, and her tactical focus unshakable. Paolini, still haunted by her three-set defeat at the Australian Open earlier this year, couldn’t recover from the emotional blow of the second set.

This marks Svitolina’s fifth quarter-final appearance at Roland-Garros (after 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2023), and her 13th Grand Slam quarter-final overall. Since returning to the tour after giving birth, she has continued to impress with her resilience, maturity, and calm under pressure.

Up next, Svitolina faces a major challenge — a quarter-final clash against Iga Swiatek, who came from behind to defeat Elena Rybakina in a three-set battle (1–6, 6–3, 7–5).
It will be their fifth meeting. Swiatek leads the head-to-head 3–1, though Svitolina won their Wimbledon 2023 quarter-final. Their most recent encounter took place in Miami earlier this year, where the Pole prevailed 7–6(5), 6–3.

This quarter-final promises to be one of the highlights of the tournament — a showdown of strength, experience, and grit on a surface both players know and love.