Rybakina Upset in French Open Second Round, Defeated by Ukrainian Underdog
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina was knocked out of the French Open in the second round by unseeded Ukrainian player Yuliia Starodubtseva in a major upset.
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- 📰 Published: May 28, 2026 at 02:09
- 🔍 Collected: May 31, 2026 at 23:47 (93h 38m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 00:53 (25h 5m after Collected)
Central News Agency, Paris, May 27. World No. 2 tennis player Elena Rybakina was defeated today in the second round of the French Open women's singles by unseeded Ukrainian player Yuliia Starodubtseva, exiting the tournament in a major upset. Rybakina, 26, was born in Russia and competes for Kazakhstan. She won the Australian Open women's singles title in January this year and was the second seed at this year's French Open. However, although Rybakina took the first set today, she was subsequently turned around by Starodubtseva, eventually losing 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (4-10). After advancing to the third round, Starodubtseva will face either the in-form 26th-seeded American player Hailey Baptiste or Chinese player Wang Xiyu to compete for a spot in the Round of 16.
FAQ
What is the impact of this defeat?
With one of the favorites eliminated, the women's singles title race has become wide open.