Elina Svitolina hits back to defeat Belinda Bencic at the 2026 French Open to set up a quarter-final clash with Iga Swiatek’s conqueror Marta Kostyuk

E. Svitolina vs B. Bencic | Roland-Garros

Women's Singles | Round 4 | 31.05.2026 | Court Philippe-Chatrier

Finished

E. Svitolina (7)

B. Bencic (11)

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14:19

SVITOLINA STAT

Svitolina is the oldest player since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the quarterfinals of Rome and Roland Garros Women’s Singles in a single season - via Opta.

'Oh, yes!' - Watch as Svitolina fights back against Bencic in thrilling contest

Video credit: TNT Sports

14:17

GAME, SET AND MATCH! – SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 6-0 BENCIC

Elina Svitolina makes it back-to-back Roland-Garros quarter-final appearances – and her SIXTH overall - with a fine comeback victory over Belinda Bencic.

The Rome champion made it five wins in a row against the Swiss as she broke from 40-15 down to triumph in two hours and three minutes.

The seventh seed will now face the red-hot Marta Kostyk, who took down four-time champion Iga Swiatek, in the last eight.

Image credit: TNT Sports

14:11

SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 5-0 BENCIC

Elina pulls off a sublime, improvised slice volley that clips the line right in the corner as she backs up the double break to 15.

There's surely too much for the 11th seed to do from here now...

14:09

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 4-0 BENCIC

‘Uh, she’s feeling it out here isn’t she?’ gasps Anne Keothavong on TNT Sports comms as Elina sizzles a sensational backhand down the line en route to yet another break.

It’s looking bleak for Belinda now. Can she find a way to reel Svitolina back in or will the Ukrainian continue to power through?

14:04

SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 3-0 BENCIC

The Rome champion is in total control at the moment and it's reflected on the scoreboard as she consolidates the break with a rampant love hold.

14:02

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 2-0 BENCIC

Svitolina showcases her trademark scrap as she tracks down Bencic’s forehand down the line by counter-punching a sensational crosscourt backhand on the stretch to press again at 15-30.

The Ukrainian then booms a massive backhand winner down the line to tee up two break points and converts on the second of them with an inside-in return winner.

13:57

SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 1-0 BENCIC

Bencic fell off a cliff mentally in the final game of Set 2, but she resets and threatens early here.

The Swiss fizzes away the drive volley and then shows good awareness and an air of calm with a forehand down the line after bullying Elina from side to side.

However, the Ukrainian responds with a quartet of clutch serves to swat away a pair of break points and snag the hold from deuce.

13:48

SET! - SVITOLINA 4-6 6-4 BENCIC

Belinda throws her racquet into the air in frustration as she offers up two set points.

It’s her own fault as she has an open court for a routine plus-one off a huge serve, but she hits a shaky drive volley straight at Elina and then contrives to flip a tame overhead low into the net.

The Swiss’ belief evaporates and she hooks a weak backhand off court on the first SP to allow Svitolina to level the match.

13:43

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 4-6 5-4 BENCIC

Bencic turns the screw with a scorching drive volley and a deep forehand down the line.

Svitolina buckles with a tight forehand low into the net and offers up two break back points.

The Ukrainian looks to reduce the arrears with a one-two punch but contrives to thrash her forehand wide and Belinda gets a lifeline in Set 2!

13:39

SVITOLINA 4-6 5-3 BENCIC

Svitolina presses for the break to seal the set and forces deuce when Bencic inexplicably volleys into the net at point-blank range after the Swiss had easily read her opponent’s pick-up off the drop shot.

Belinda stands firm and is delighted to see the Ukrainian flash a backhand into the net to allow her to escape and pose the serve-out question.

13:36

DID YOU KNOW?

13:33

ICYMI: KOSTYUK AWAITS THE WINNER IN THE LAST EIGHT AFTER BEATING SWIATEK

Highlights: Stunning upset as Kostyuk downs four-time champion Swiatek

Video credit: TNT Sports

13:32

SVITOLINA 4-6 5-2 BENCIC

Svitolina zaps away a bullet forehand winner from the mid-court to pull clear and maintains her advantage with a big first serve to seal the hold to 15.

13:29

SVITOLINA 4-6 4-2 BENCIC

On TNT Sports Comms, Naomi Cavaday suggests Bencic has ‘gone into her shell’ as a nervy double fault contributes to the Swiss offering up triple break point.

However, Svitolina fails to convert any of them and Belinda comes up trumps with the backhand down the line, which has worked a treat at times today.

The 11th seed fends off a fourth break point with that same strike up Elina’s right flank and then grits out a resilient hold via a drive volley and a miscued backhand into the net from her opponent.

13:21

SVITOLINA 4-6 4-1 BENCIC

Svitolina consolidates with a confident hold to 30 and has her eyes firmly fixed on forcing a decider.

'Gosh, that was aggressive!' - Watch Svitolina 'unleashing' with big early forehand winner

Video credit: TNT Sports

13:18

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 4-6 3-1 BENCIC

Svitolina goes on the attack on the return and poses a question at 0-30.

Bencic responds but miscues a looping backhand wide to offer up two break points.

The Swiss produces supreme defence to stay alive in the following rally, but for once she doesn’t deliver with a surprise dropper from deep and it floats harmlessly into the net.

13:13

SVITOLINA 4-6 2-1 BENCIC

On TNT Sports Comms, Naomi Cavaday marvels at Bencic’s reflexes on the volley describing her as ‘like a Jedi at the net’ before the Swiss blasts a crosscourt drive volley to apply pressure at Pulp.

The 11th seed lands a big return down the line to extend the game to deuce and then gets a look at a break point when Elina loops a forehand long.

Bencic pushes her opponent deep into her left wing but can’t bypass the net with a crosscourt backhand.

Svitolina seizes upon the reprieve and a big first serve heps her out of dodge.

13:08

SVITOLINA 4-6 1-1 BENCIC

Bencic slams down a super first serve to close-out a hold to 15 after once again deploying an excellent drop shot to bamboozle her opponent.

13:04

SVITOLINA 4-6 1-0 BENCIC

Svitolina needs to reset after fluffing a 30-0 lead but she finds a couple of clutch first serves to avoid any drama at the start of Set 2.

12:57

SET! - SVITOLINA 4-6 BENCIC

Alarm bells ring for Belinda as she looks to serve out the opening set at the second time of asking.

The Swiss struggles to find the island at first, but recovers from 0-30 with a maiden ace of the day.

The 11th seed falters again with a tight backhand into the net off the return but just about survives the break point when Elina lobs a volley long.

Svitolina presses at deuce with a raking crosscourt forehand that forces the error into the alley but then drags a backhand wide to fail to grab her second BP opportunity.

It proves costly as Bencic suddenly produces a moment of magic to earn set point with a delicious dropper from deep, but flashes a forehand long to prolong her internal battle with nerves.

The Swiss then takes a backhand early and hits the postage mark before converting with a plus-one backhand down the line.

It was a set of fluctuating momentum but in the end Bencic got the job done in just under 45 minutes.