Rybakina knocked out of French Open in second-round upset by Ukrainian qualifier

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan suffered a stunning upset in the second round of the French Open, falling to unseeded Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva. Rybakina, a 26-year-old who was born in Russia and represents Kazakhstan, had recently won the Australian Open title in January and was the second seed in this tournament.

Despite winning the first set, Rybakina was unable to maintain her advantage. Starodubtseva mounted a comeback, ultimately winning the match with a final score of 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (4-10). The unexpected defeat ends Rybakina's bid for a second Grand Slam title this year.

Starodubtseva's impressive victory propels her into the third round, where she will face a challenging opponent. She is set to play against either the in-form 26th seed Hailey Baptiste of the United States or China's Wang Xiyu. The winner of that match will secure a place in the round of 16, continuing their pursuit of the prestigious title.