Kostyuk wins Ukrainian battle against Svitolina to reach Roland Garros semifinals

Marta Kostyuk has reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros, defeating fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought match. The 23-year-old Kostyuk secured her spot in the final four with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory in one hour and 51 minutes.

This achievement comes less than a month after Kostyuk captured her maiden WTA 1000 title in Madrid, marking a significant upswing in her career. The win against Svitolina, a former top-10 player, was particularly emotional for Kostyuk.

After the match, Kostyuk broke down in tears during her on-court interview, dedicating her victory to the resilience of the Ukrainian people. "It has been another very difficult night in Ukraine due to the attacks," she stated, referencing the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Svitolina, 31, was aiming for her first semifinal appearance in Paris but was unable to overcome Kostyuk's strong performance in the deciding set. Both players struggled with their service games early in the third set, but Kostyuk managed to break Svitolina's serve twice to seal the win.