Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated world No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the second round of the 2026 French Open [1].

The victory marks one of the most significant upsets of the tournament, removing a top seed and a primary title contender from the draw early in the competition [1, 2].

The match took place at Roland-Garros in Paris, where Starodubtseva outplayed the higher-ranked opponent to secure the win [3, 4]. The contest ended in a three-set battle with a final score of 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 [5].

Reports on the final set tiebreak vary, with some sources citing a score of 7-6 (4) [5], while others report 7-6 (10-4) [6]. The match occurred during the second round of the tournament [7].

Starodubtseva entered the event as a qualifier, making the victory over Rybakina the largest win of her professional career [8]. The defeat removes the second seed from the clay-court Grand Slam [8].

While some reports indicate the match was played on Wednesday [2], other accounts place the victory on Thursday [6]. Regardless of the timing, the result shifts the dynamics of the women's singles bracket as the tournament progresses in May 2026.

“Starodubtseva delivered the biggest win of her career”

The early exit of the world No. 2 creates a significant power vacuum in the tournament draw, opening a path for other seeded players to advance with less resistance. For Starodubtseva, this result provides a massive boost in ranking points and visibility, transitioning her from a qualifier to a potential dark horse in the competition.