Who is Yuliia Starodubtseva? All about the sensational Ukrainian who knocked out Rybakina

Starodubtseva has made the entire tennis world talk about her

Details: This year’s French Open continues to deliver headline-grabbing surprises. Yet, some stories go far beyond the realm of routine upsets and deserve special attention.

If the men’s draw saw 17-year-old Frenchman Moïse Kouamé stun the seasoned Marin Čilić, the women’s side delivered a tale just as remarkable.

Before the match, most pundits gave Yuliia Starodubtseva almost no chance. On the other side of the net stood one of the world’s best—Elena Rybakina, the current WTA world No. 2. The difference in pedigree seemed insurmountable, but tennis once again proved that matches are decided on the court, not by rankings.

The Ukrainian pulled off a true sensation, defeating Rybakina in three sets—3-6, 6-1, 7-6. The result instantly became one of the tournament’s most talked-about storylines.

But who is Yuliia Starodubtseva?

The future tennis star was born in Kakhovka, southern Ukraine, and began playing sports at an early age. Her climb to the top was anything but easy. She spent years grinding on the lower-tier ITF circuit, without serious backing or substantial financial support.

Knowing that breaking through to the elite level would be a daunting challenge, Yuliia decided at 17 to continue her journey in the United States. There, she balanced studies, college tennis, and life far from home, steadily honing her skills.

But fate had even tougher trials in store.

After the outbreak of full-scale war, Starodubtseva’s life changed dramatically. She later admitted how deeply she was affected by the events in Ukraine. During one college match, she couldn’t hold back tears after receiving alarming news from home—her father was in real danger at the time.

Even after graduation, the challenges didn’t end. She had virtually no ranking points, and her financial situation forced her to look for extra income. Starodubtseva worked at a club, coached, and even relied on fundraising to keep her professional career alive.

But she never gave up.

Step by step, Yuliia kept battling through qualifiers and lower-tier tournaments, slowly but surely moving forward.

The payoff wasn’t long in coming. In 2024, she made history as the first female player in the Open era to qualify for all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single season. That was followed by a run to the quarterfinals at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, and then her first WTA final in Charleston.

Starodubtseva has often said she admires Elina Svitolina, especially for her consistency and fighting spirit. Off the court, the Ukrainian remains calm and composed—a person shaped not by headlines, but by years of struggle and overcoming adversity.

Yuliia’s story is a journey from an occupied hometown, through American college tennis, to the global WTA stage. And this journey is only just beginning.

In the Roland Garros round of 32, the Ukrainian will face China’s Xiyu Wang, who also impressed by knocking out American Hailey Baptiste.