Ukrainian Kostyuk and Russian Andreeva to clash in Roland Garros semifinals

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk has reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros, overcoming compatriot Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. The 23-year-old, who is ranked 15th, will now face Russia's Mirra Andreeva in the next round.

Kostyuk, who has had a strong clay-court season with previous wins in Rouen and Madrid, extended her winning streak to 16 matches. Svitolina, the 31-year-old who had won the Rome tournament, reached the quarterfinals in Paris for the second consecutive year. Despite Svitolina's good form, Kostyuk's momentum proved decisive in the tightly contested match, which lasted 1 hour and 49 minutes.

Kostyuk revealed that her tournament began emotionally after a Russian missile struck near her parents' home the night before her debut. She dedicated her quarterfinal victory to the resilience of Ukraine against the Russian invasion. "We had another difficult night in Ukraine, with many dead, especially in Kyiv. I want to dedicate this victory to the Ukrainians and their resistance," she stated on the court.

Her semifinal opponent, 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, also advanced after a dominant performance, defeating Romania's Sorana Cristea 6-0, 6-3. Andreeva has secured 19 clay-court victories this season, the highest on the circuit. This marks her second semifinal appearance in three years. Notably, Kostyuk declined to shake hands with Andreeva after their previous encounter in the Madrid final, reflecting the ongoing conflict between their nations.

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We had another difficult night in Ukraine, with many dead, especially in Kyiv. I want to dedicate this victory to the Ukrainians and their resistance.