Five-time grand slam winner Iga Swiatek came from behind to battle past Elena Rybakina in the last 16 at Roland Garros in an epic encounter.

Swiatek battled back in style to continue her Roland-Garros title defence, winning 1-6 6-3 7-5 in two and a half hours to make it through to the quarter-final.

Rybakina, who had reached the quarter-final of the French Open on two occasions, made the better start on Sunday, racing into a 5-0 lead in the first set after two consecutive breaks.

But as well as Rybakina played, Swiatek's start was all over the place, and she hit a ball straight into the net to go 15-40 down in the sixth game.

Despite fighting back to take the game, saving four set points en route, Rybakina replied with a hold to take the first set.

The Kazakh started the second set as she finished the first, breaking Swiatek in the first game, with the Pole unable to answer her big hitting.

Swiatek, who has won each of the last three editions of the French Open, managed to get herself on the scoreboard with a hold when next on service before winning the next five games on the spin to make it 5-2.

A hold when next on serve levelled the tie for Swiatek, before a topsy-turvy third set. Swiatek broke first to make it 4-3 before Rybakina broke straight back and held the following game after saving a break point.

Swiatek then successfully served to love to get back to 5-5 before breaking Rybakina and then successfully serving for the match to reach the last eight, where she will face Elina Svitolina.

6 - Iga Swiatek is the first player to reach the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in Women’s Singles for 6+ consecutive years since Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (10 in a row between 1991 and 2000). Lumière.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA pic.twitter.com/vDDWfXW6Oe

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 1, 2025

Data debrief: Swiatek keeps winning

The victory for Swiatek marked her 25th straight win at Roland-Garros. She is the fifth player in the Open Era to achieve as many wins on the bounce.

Overall, she has a win-loss record of 92-19 at grand slams and 39-2 at Roland-Garros.

Her appearance in the last eight, meanwhile, will be her 50th at WTA level since 2019, while she is the first player since 2000 to reach six consecutive quarter-finals at the French Open.