Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk continued her remarkable clay-court season by reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open, defeating fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought quarterfinal on Tuesday.
The 15th seed overcame Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in an emotionally charged all-Ukrainian contest at French Open 2026, extending her unbeaten record on clay this season to an impressive 17-0.
The victory sends Kostyuk into the first major semifinal of her career, where she will face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
Historic Achievement for Ukrainian Tennis
Kostyuk’s run has already secured her place in Ukrainian tennis history.
The 23-year-old became the first Ukrainian woman in the professional era to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros. While Svitolina has previously reached Grand Slam semifinals at other majors, she fell short in a French Open quarterfinal for the sixth time.
Following the match, Kostyuk reflected on the difficult circumstances facing her homeland.
“We had a very difficult night again in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, so many people dead,” she said.
The comments came after Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, reportedly killing at least 18 civilians and injuring more than 100.
Svitolina Dedicates Match to Ukraine
Despite the defeat, Svitolina delivered an emotional message in support of Ukraine.
“I want to give this match to Ukrainian people and to their resilience. Slava Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine!),” she said.
The former world No. 3 revealed that she learned about the attacks early in the morning through friends in Ukraine.
“Just very sad that we all have to really put up with this heaviness and pain every single day, and scared moments not knowing what’s going to bring the next day,” Svitolina said.
After her tournament exit, Svitolina will leave Paris to reunite with her daughter, whom she shares with French tennis star Gael Monfils. However, she pledged to support Kostyuk from afar.
“I will be watching the match and definitely cheering for her. Hopefully she can get the title. It’s going to be massive for Ukraine,” she added.
Mirra Andreeva Cruises Into Semifinals
Standing between Kostyuk and a place in the final is one of tennis’ brightest young stars.
Nineteen-year-old Andreeva stormed into the semifinals with a dominant 6-0, 6-3 victory over Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea.
The Russian teenager was in complete control from the outset, using powerful groundstrokes and aggressive net play to overwhelm her opponent.
Competing in what is expected to be the final season of her career, the 36-year-old Cirstea struggled to find any rhythm and failed to win a game until the opening game of the second set.
“I felt like it was one of my best matches so far this tournament,” Andreeva said after the win.
“Super happy to be back in semis.”
Focus Remains on Tennis for Andreeva
Asked about the prospect of facing a Ukrainian opponent during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Andreeva stressed that her focus remains solely on tennis.
“Well, for me it doesn’t matter who I play,” she said.
“I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me. Usually it doesn’t matter to me who I’m playing against, so I’m trying to really focus on the game and on the game plan.”
The upcoming semifinal will be particularly intriguing given Kostyuk’s recent success against the Russian.
The Ukrainian currently leads their head-to-head record 2-0, including a victory in the Madrid final last month.
Weather Changes Conditions at Roland Garros
After a week of warm and sunny conditions in Paris, rain arrived on Tuesday, forcing play under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Despite the altered conditions, both quarterfinal winners adapted comfortably and booked their places in the last four.
Men’s Quarterfinal Action Continues
The men’s draw also continues to gather pace at Roland Garros.
Spanish prospect Rafael Jodar faces a difficult challenge against second seed Alexander Zverev, while Czech star Jakub Mensik takes on Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca in the night session.
A Semifinal With Sporting and Emotional Significance
Kostyuk’s semifinal against Andreeva promises to be one of the most closely watched matches of the tournament.
Beyond the tennis, the contest carries added significance given the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. However, both players will ultimately be focused on securing a place in the French Open final.
For Kostyuk, victory would move her one step closer to becoming the first Ukrainian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros, capping what has already been a breakthrough season on clay.