Starodubtseva Stuns Rybakina in 3-6 6-1 7-6 French Open Upset
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 27
Starodubtseva Stuns Rybakina in 3-6 6-1 7-6 French Open Upset
13 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 27
55th-ranked Yuliia Starodubtseva knocked out Elena Rybakina in the second round, rallying from a set down to win 3-6 6-1 7-6 (10-4) for the biggest upset so far at Roland Garros.
71 unforced errors and a 53% first-serve rate undid Rybakina, who led 5-1 early and later recovered from 3-0 down in the decider before double-faulting to start the tiebreak.
The loss is Rybakina's first failure to reach the Paris third round since 2020 and her earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2024 Australian Open.
Aryna Sabalenka will now retain the world No. 1 ranking regardless of her French Open result, because Rybakina needed at least a semifinal run to challenge for the top spot.
For Starodubtseva, the win is the biggest of her career and another Paris breakthrough after she also upset 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini in the second round last year.
How does this single upset completely reshape the battle for the world number one ranking and the French Open title race?
From a GoFundMe to a Grand Slam upset, is Yuliia Starodubtseva the next great underdog story in tennis?
Do 71 unforced errors signal a deeper crisis for world number two Elena Rybakina, or was it just one bad day?