French Open 2026: Rybakina out, Swiatek through, and Djokovic in action on day four - live

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Valentin Royer has held his own in the third against Djokovic, we’re on serve at 4-4 in that one. In the all French matchup on Simonne Mathieu, 32nd seed Ugo Humbert has lost the first set to Quentin Halys 4-6. In the second it’s on serve with Humbert leading 6-5.

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Thanasi Kokkinakis had taken the second set off Pablo Carreno Busta but has withdrawn in the third to hand the Spaniard the match.

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Yuliia Starodubtseva beats Elena Rybakina 3-6 6-1 7-6!

Impeccably timed aggression from Starodubtseva to go into the net and she has match point at 9-3. Rybakina digs in to get one back but she needs another five of those and on the very next another missed forehand means it’s all over! Incredible stuff from Starodebutseva, that’s easily the biggest shock of the tournament so far.

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Updated at 12.08 EDT

The unforced error count goes to 70 for Rybakina and she now trails 8-3.

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Another missed forehand from Rybakina gives Starodubtseva a 6-2 lead…

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Did I hear that right? Rybakina has hit 65 unforced errors? Wow. Her latest pair are a wayward forehand blast on Starodubtseva’s serve and a backhand that goes long to give the Ukrainian a 3-2 lead. Starodbutseva wins the first point of her serve to consolidate a double mini-break at 4-2 before the change of ends.

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After some ‘highly illuminating’ studio chat on TNT we’re back on Suzanne-Lenglen and we’re into a tie-break. I’d love to tell you what happened in Starodubtseva’s last service game but I didn’t see a shot of it.

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Rybakina goes up 40-0 on serve but has a little wobble before coming through to hold. TNT has taken this exact moment to cut away to interview fans on Court 14 who are waiting to watch João Fonseca, how about showing the tennis?

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This time it’s Stardubtseva who holds to love.

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Updated at 11.38 EDT

Rybakina wastes little time on her own serve, we’re all tied up on serve.

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Updated at 12.03 EDT

As this one ticks over the two-hour mark on another sweltering day in Paris, the shadows on Suzanne-Lenglen have crept across almost the entire court, with Rybakina receiving on her forehand side whiel stood in the last strip of sun. It’s tough to track the ball but Rybakina is seeing it OK as she earns another break point at 30-40 and, unlike in Starodubtseva’s last service game, the world No 2 takes it. It’s 4-4 and all to play for.

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Updated at 11.38 EDT

A welcome low stress hold for Rybakina. Pressure back on Starodubtseva, who is a couple of service games away from a major upset.

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On Court 14, Marta Kostyuk, who won the recent Madrid Open, has come back from a set down to beat Katie Volynets. The 14th seeded Ukrainian eventually triumphed 6-7 6-3 6-3.

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Updated at 12.00 EDT

On Chatrier, Djokovic has wasted little time sewing up the second set, he leads 6-3 6-2 going into the third.

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Updated at 11.59 EDT

Rybakina has a chance to get level at 3-3 but an unforced error on break point gives Starodubtseva enough of a crack to get back into the game and when the world No 2 dumps a forehand into the net the hold is secured.

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Updated at 11.31 EDT

Royer gets a morale-boosting hold on Chatrier, Djokovic has a 5-2 lead in the second set after winning the first.

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I’ve dropped into mayhem on Suzanne-Lenglen, it seems. Rybakina saves a couple of break points and holds serve for the first time in the third set as Starodubtseva gets a bit loose with forehand that goes long. The Ukrainian still has a break and will serve for a 4-2 lead in this decider.

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Oh, but afore I go, Rybakina retrieves a break to love; I’ve not a clue what’s going on here, but I absolutely love it.

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On Chatrier, Djokovic has broken Royer a second time in set two to lead 6-3 4-1, and back here, I’m off for some scran, so here’s Tom Bassam to chill with you through the next hour.

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Back with Kostyuk, she blazes a signature forehand winner from the corner to secure a hold for 3-2 in the fifth, but the big unfolding story is on Lenglen, where Starodubtseva has a point for a doubler break in the fifth! … And a net-cord takes Rybakina’s forehand wide! I know her game, with it’s big, flowing groundstrokes, contains within it margin for error, but she’s disintegrating out there! I’m not sure what else to say really, as you never know what’s going in someone’s life or head, but she took the first set 6-3 and since then, has won one game in nine! Starodubtseva leads the no 2 seed 3-0 in the third, the biggest win of her career within sight. Can she handle the pressure?

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Rafael Jodar, the 19-year-old 27 seed, has taken the first set against James Duckworth 6-1 – and don’t forget, he lost just five games clobbering Aleksandar Kovacevic in round one. Elsewhere, Basavareddy leads Michelsen 2-1 on serve, Borges leads Kecmanovic 1-1 2-0, and Mensik leads Navone 2-1 on serve in the fifth.

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Rybakina is playing like a drain, down 30-40 … and netting a forehand before stalking back to her seat. Starodubtseva, not someone with whom I’m familiar and I watch a lot of tennis – is a break up in the third, the 25-year-old Ukrainian just needing to hold serve to pull of a seismic shock.

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Updated at 11.15 EDT

On Lenglen, Starodubtseva closes out what must be one of the worst sets Rybakina has ever played, levelling the match at 3-6 6-0; I’ve not a clue what’s going to happen in the decider but, after both players depart, both players return and, after just 78 minutes, the denouement begins.

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Djokovic is strangely attired – who picks his schemes, seriously – but playing well, which is less so. He’s not had much preparation, and we don’t know if his body will allow him more than one epic – in Melbourne, he didn’t have much left in the final after beating Jannik Sinner in the semi – but he’s still a long way off losing to randoms in week one, breaking Royer to lead 6-3 1-0.

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Djokovic does indeed secure set one, leading Royer 6-3, while Kostyuk gets her second break, sparing herself the stress of having to serve out the set. She and Volynets will now endure a decider while, looking around the courts, Mensik and Navone are about to begin a fifth; Carreño Busta leads Kokkinakis 7-5 0-1 with a break; and Kecmanovic leads Borges 6-3 2-4.

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On Chatrier, Djokovic is serving for set one at 5-2, having missed a point to get it won on return; Starodubtseva survives break points to hold for 5-0, having won seven of the last eight games; and Kostyuk can’t quite get the second break she’s chasing to level with Volynets, the game having gone for around six minutes now

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I don’t do that entirely willingly, not because I’m not buzzing for the rest of the match but becuase I’d love to be on Basvareddy v Michelsen from the off – we’ll get there. But gosh, on Lenglen, Starodubtseva now leads Rybakina 4-0 in set two, the no 2 seed now under serious pressure.

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Back on Chatrier, Djokovic leads Royer 5-2; on Lenglen, Rybakina now trails Starodubtseva 3-0 in set two, so I’m going back to watch that; and I’m also returning to Kostyuk v Volynets, the latteer up 5-23 in the second and poised to force a decider.

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Next on Mathieu: Ugo Humbert (32) v Quentin Halys.

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Marie Bouzkova (27) beats Fran Jones 6-0 7-6(3)

Jones will be disappointed, having twice served for the second set, but she fought back well and looks to be developing her game nicely. As for Bouzkova, she moves on to face Bassols Ribera or Mirra Andreeva.

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Updated at 10.57 EDT

Back with Jones, she trails Bouzkova 5-3 in the tiebreak and, when she can’t exploit a weak second serve, a booming forehand means she faces three match points.

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Magda Linette beats Jelena Ostapenko (29) 6-2 2-6 6-2

The 2017 champ has gone, a relief for Iga Swiatek, who is 0-6 against her; it’s Linette who earns the biggie in round three.

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Updated at 10.53 EDT

Rublev is happy to be in Paris and says it’s tough to describe how special the support is. The toughest aspect of the match was the focus, but in the heat and with the wind it’s not easy to play aggressively all the time, but the ideas was to keep hitting because if you slow down, the other guy has an advantage right away.

This is his fifth third-round in a row, but he doesn’t know what it means until after the next match – and of course, we all know that he’s great at beating those he should, just unable to get it done against those he shouldn’t.

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Andrey Rublev (11) beats Ugo Carabelli 6-1 1-6 6-3 7-6(5)

That was a blinding match, perhaps the best I’ve seen so far this week, and it’s great to see Rublev come through. Next for him it’s Borges or Kecmanovic, the latter currently a set to the good.

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Updated at 11.02 EDT

Down 5-6, Carabelli opens shoulders to unleash an inside-out forehand; it looks wide to me but he celebrates, Rublev is sure it’s out … but what will the umpire say?

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Carabelli goes long, ceding a mini-break at 5-4, quickly consolidated for two match points; Bouzkova breaks Jones back a second time and they’re now playing a second-set tiebreak.

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Two massive forehands from Rublev, one massive point won; he leads 4-3 in the breaker, on serve. And we’re under way on Chatrier, Djokovic up 2-1 on Royer, so I’m now watching them, not Rybakina.

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Rublev does indeed force his breaker and it’s great to see him enjoying a proper ruckus, rather than turning the stress of it inwards. It’s currently 2-2, both men giving absolutely everything, while Rybakina serves out her first set with Starodubtseva at the second time of asking to lead 6-3 – she’s not playing all that well – and Jones breaks Bouzkova again, so will serve for a decider again, at 0-6 6-5.

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Nope, Jones can’t serve it out, Bouzkova diverting a wide serve back with a tremendous stretch and levelling the set at 5-5 having taken the first 6-0,

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Linette leads Ostapenko 5-2 in the third; Rublev must now serve at 5-6 to force a fourth-set tiebreaker with Carabelli; an ace takes Jones to deuce as she tries to level at a set apiece with Bouzkova; and Mensik leads Navone 6-3 2-6 6-4.

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I’ve put Jones v Bouzkova on, at least until Djokovic and Royer are under way, but when they emerge i think I’ll leave Rybakina who, at 4-1, is well in charge against Starodubtseva. And hing aboot! A Bouzkova double donates Jones a break and, at 0-6 5-4, she’ll shortly serve for the second set!

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Oh! Carabelli breaks Rublev back and at 4-4 in the fourth, this match is still in the balance. And so, just about, is Jones v Bouzkova, the Brit breaking back in set two to trail 0-6 4-4.

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I wouldn’t, though, count Kostyuk out. She’s got the bigger game, which means a higher top level but also greater margin for error; if she hits a seam, she can blow Volynets away.

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Kostyuk overhits a forehand, meaning Volynets, who saved a load of set-points prior to the breaker, now has two of her own … and she only needs one, easing a forehand to the corner to go in front 7-6(4).

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On Lenglen, meanwhile, Rybakina is up 3-0 on Starodubtsevawithmyheadman, and on Mathieu, Rublev has broken Carabelli to lead 2-1 4-3.

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We’ve got two matches in the women’s competition that I wish I had scope to watch, and actually, I’m going to stick on Kostyuk v Volynets while we await Djokovic, as they’re playing a first-set breaker. Otherwise, Linette leads Ostapenko 2-1 in the third, on serve, while out on Court 13, Bouzkova leads Fran Jones, of GB, 6-0 4-2.

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Next on Chatrier: Valentin Royer v Novak Djokovic.

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Svitolina is happy, saying she played really well in the first set, but knew Quevedo would improve, and she was happy that she stayed strong then served it out nicely.

In round one, she had to win a match tiebreak against Bondar, which gave her confidence, as she did from her run in Rome. A really big battle at the start of a tournament puts you “directly into fighting mode and tournament mindset” and now she’s happy to have moved on,

In 2010, she won the junior edition of this event and it’s crazy to think it was that long ago, but now she’s married “to the French guy”, has a little daughter at home, and tries a bit of French that I don’t fully understand – but I fully grasp her infectious happiness. She is delighted to be in her own skin, and it’s beautiful to behold.

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It’s getting seriously physical on Mathieu, Rublev leading 2-1 but trailing 2-3 on serve. Both he and Carabelli are hitting it seriously hard – and chasing even harder.

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Elina Svitolina (7) beats Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0 6-4

A decent work out for Svitolina, though the double she serves on her first match point is instructive, her second delivery so tame it barely reached the net. But she’s through to meet Korpatsch in round three, the question about whether she’s big enough weapons to win a slam will remain unanswered until she either does or retires.

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Updated at 10.58 EDT

Quevedo, just 20, has done a really good job in this second set, but with a tiebreaker in sight, Svitlina breaks her and will shortly serve for the match at 6-0 5-4.

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Ostapenko does indeed take Linette to a third set, seeking that round three meeting with her bunny, Iga Swiatek. Long-time readers will know she’s a favourite of this blog, or was until her US Open gozzing-off; hopefully she’s learnt from that experience.

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OK, let’s nip around the courts. Svitolina leads Quevado 6-0 3-4, on serve; Rublev leads Carabelli 6-1 1-6 6-3 2-1 on serve; Kostyuk and Volynets are level at 4-4 in the first; Ostapenko is serving at 5-2 in the second to force a decider against Linette; and Navone is level with Mensik at 1-1 2-2.

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Next on Lenglen: Yuliia Starodubtseva v Elena Rybakina (2).

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“Please, don’t remind me,” says Khachanov when Alex Corretja mentions the missed overhead – in the process of gassing up both players following a terrifically entertaining match. “This is what it’s about, grand slam,” he says. “You live through these moments, one ball at a time, step by step.” He then explains that he could see he was getting closer, dominating as Trungelliti tired, but then all of a sudden the comeback happened – “he made me suffer, unbelievable.”

Finally, he says he tries to stay calm when it gets tight, but he has feelings. He played Trungelliti when he was much younger but at 36 it looks like he’s in his prime, forcing his younger opponent to complete plenty of sprints – and that’s our lot.

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Back on Chatrier, Quevedo is up 3-2 in the second set having lost the first 6-0, and she’s giving Svitolina plenty, raising break point … confiscated via ace. From there, she secures her hod, but this is a proper contest now.

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Khachanov looks seriously relieved. Had he lost, that missed overhead – and when I say missed I mean actually missed – would’ve haunted him beyond the grave. But he’s safely into round three, while Trungelliti, at 36, has us all wondering why it’s taken him until now to break into the top 100. I very much hope to see more of him, and I’m sure i’m not alone.

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