Kostyuk and others continue to honour Ukraine in landmark French Open

An emotional Marta Kostyuk gave a moving on-court interview after her historic 6-3 2-6 6-2 quarter-final win over fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. With both players vying to become the first Ukrainian woman to reach the singles semi-finals at Roland Garros since tennis turned professional in 1968, Kostyuk demonstrated her title-winning credentials in a high-quality final set that saw the 23-year-old surge ahead, winning the last four games in a row.

Addressing the crowd on the iconic court Philippe-Chatrier after sealing victory, Kostyuk spoke openly about the struggles her country is facing: “We had [a] very difficult night in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv. So many people dead. And I want to give this match to [the] Ukrainian people and their resilience. Thank you. Slava Ukraini.” She struggled to hold back tears as she received a long ovation from the crowd still on court.

Ukrainian players have maintained their position that they will not shake the hand of any Russian

This was a far cry from the situation here in 2023, where Kostyuk was booed off the same court in Paris after refusing to shake the hand of Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka. Ukrainian players have maintained their position that they will not shake the hand of any Russian or Belarusian opponents while the conflict is going on, something that will not change when Kostyuk faces 19-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals.

Kostyuk has been continually vocal in both her support for Ukraine and her denunciation of Russian and Belarusian players who have not condemned the war since the invasion began in 2022. After her first round win earlier in this year’s tournament, Kostyuk showed journalists a picture of the wreckage outside her parents house in Kyiv following a series of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital, telling reporters, “100 metres closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mum and a sister today.”

However, despite the obvious mental strain that Ukrainian players have to endure, there are now seven female players from the country inside the world’s top 100, a higher number than
three out of the four nations that host Grand Slams. Kostyuk credited her compatriot Svitolina for Ukraine’s remarkable recent success within women’s tennis, saying: “I want to point out Elina and her incredible impact on Ukrainian tennis, on Ukrainians, and on me and everyone who is watching.” Svitolina, a four-time Grand Slam semi-finalist herself, has raised thousands to help those back in her home country and both Svitolina and Kostyuk run foundations to help support the growth of tennis in Ukraine.

Continued to use her platform to speak passionately about the war and the responsibility she feels tennis players have to publicly oppose the conflict

Another Ukrainian player, Oleksandra Oliynykova, has reached a career-high ranking of 51 in
the world after her run to the third round at her first French Open. Oliynykova, whose boyfriend and father are active members of the Ukrainian army, still lives and trains in Ukraine. Like Kostyuk, she has continued to use her platform to speak passionately about the war and the responsibility she feels tennis players have to publicly oppose the conflict. In her press conference following her loss to Russian 25th seed Diana Schnaider, Oliynykova read out a prepared statement, declaring: “I know that some people would prefer that I stay silent. But what I do is not about politics, it’s about humanity.”

“When people are being killed, while children are dying, when violence is justified or celebrated, we cannot pretend that nothing is happening.”