Ukrainian Tennis Player Kostyuk Wins French Open Match After Missile Strike Near Family Home
Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk, 23, defeated Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in the French Open first round, hours after a Russian missile struck 100 meters from her parents' home in Kyiv, where her mother, sister, and great-aunt were sleeping. The overnight attack killed four and injured dozens in Kyiv. Kostyuk tearfully dedicated her win to Ukraine, showing journalists a photo of the destruction. She refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent, continuing Ukrainian athletes' protest.
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Russian Teenager Mirra Andreeva Reaches French Open Final After Defeating Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk
Mirra Andreeva, a 19-year-old Russian tennis player, defeated Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 in the French Open semi-finals on June 4, 2026, to reach her first Grand Slam final. As expected, Kostyuk refused to shake hands at the net, continuing Ukrainian players' protest against Russia's war in Ukraine. The match was notable for being the first time in 49 years that no previous Grand Slam champion appeared in the women's or men's semi-finals at Roland Garros. Andreeva, coached by Conchita Martínez, is now the favorite for Saturday's final. Kostyuk, playing her first Grand Slam semi-final, struggled with nerves and wind, committing 34 unforced errors. Earlier in the tournament, Kostyuk revealed that a rocket struck near her parents' home in Ukraine. The second semi-final will feature Poland's Maja Chwalinska against Russia's Diana Shnaider.
Nachrichten - WELTUkrainian Tennis Star Marta Kostyuk Dedicates French Open Win to War Victims
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk defeated fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the French Open quarterfinals on June 2, 2026, to reach her first major semifinal. After the match, Kostyuk broke down in tears, dedicating her victory to the Ukrainian people and those killed in recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and Dnipro, which killed at least 18 civilians. Kostyuk, who has a policy of not shaking hands with Russian players, will face Russia's Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals. The article also notes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated aerial attacks amid Ukraine's shortage of U.S.-made air defense systems.
Forbes - BusinessUkrainian Tennis Star Marta Kostyuk Breaks Down After Russian Rocket Strikes Near Parents' Home
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk, ranked 15th in the world, fought through tears to win her first-round match at the 2026 French Open against Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva (6-2, 6-3). In a post-match press conference, Kostyuk revealed that a Russian rocket had destroyed a building just 100 meters from her parents' house in Ukraine earlier that morning. She showed journalists a photo of the destruction on her phone, saying she felt 'sick' thinking that if the rocket had landed closer, she might have lost her mother or sister. Kostyuk, who cried before the match and during her on-court interview, described it as 'one of the most difficult matches' of her career. She also refused to shake hands with her Russian opponent, a standard protest by Ukrainian players. The attacks, which included the use of Russia's feared Oreshnik medium-range missile, killed four people and injured dozens in Kyiv and other areas.
Nachrichten - WELTChris Evert Praises Marta Kostyuk After Tearful Admission of Family Scare at French Open
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk, 23, arrived at the 2026 French Open after winning the Madrid Open, but hours before her first-round match, she received a photo of a missile strike that hit a building just 100 meters from her parents' home in Ukraine, where her mother, sister, and elderly relative were inside. Despite the shock, Kostyuk defeated Russian-born Spanish opponent Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in 78 minutes. In her post-match press conference, she tearfully showed the photo and described the psychological toll. Former world No. 1 Chris Evert praised her on X, calling her 'unbelievably strong.' Kostyuk also adhered to the Ukrainian protocol of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian opponents. She will face American Katie Volynets in the second round.
yahoo sportsUkrainian Tennis Star Kostyuk Fights Back Tears After Missile Strike Near Parents' Home
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk delivered an emotional first-round victory at the French Open on Sunday, revealing that a Russian missile had struck just 100 meters from her parents' home in Ukraine earlier that morning. The 23-year-old, who has refused to shake hands with Russian players since the 2022 invasion, fought back tears as she described receiving the news at 8am and fearing for her mother, sister, and great aunt, who were among 17 people in the house. No one was injured. Kostyuk said the resilience of the Ukrainian people inspired her to play, and she thanked fans waving Ukrainian flags for their support. She next faces American Katie Volynets. Fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, a recent Italian Open winner, also drew inspiration from the war-torn nation, highlighting the importance of Ukrainian athletes as role models for the younger generation.
France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlinesMarta Kostyuk Says Missile Struck Near Her Parents' Home in Ukraine Before Roland-Garros Match
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk revealed after her first-round victory at Roland-Garros that a Russian missile strike occurred near her parents' home in Kyiv, Ukraine, just before she took the court on Sunday. Kostyuk, the No. 15 seed, defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3. During her on-court interview, she described it as one of the most difficult matches of her career, stating that a missile destroyed a building 100 meters from her parents' house that morning. She said she cried part of the morning and dedicated her thoughts to the people of Ukraine. Kostyuk, who recently won the Madrid Open title, will face American Katie Voleynets in the second round.
Bleacher Report - Front PageKostyuk dedicates French Open win to Ukraine after missiles strike near family home
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk dedicated her French Open first-round victory to Ukraine after Russian missiles struck just 100 meters from her family's home in Kyiv the night before the match. Kostyuk, 23, beat Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2 6-3 on Sunday, describing it as one of the most difficult matches of her career. Russia launched a wave of overnight strikes on Saturday, killing four people and injuring about 100 in Kyiv and the wider region. In her post-match news conference, Kostyuk showed journalists a photograph of a burning building near her home, where her mother, sister, and great-aunt were sleeping. She said she felt sick thinking that if the missile had been 100 meters closer, she might not have a mother or sister. Kostyuk expressed gratitude that her family and close friends were unharmed but remained scared.
BBC SportKostyuk wins Paris opener hours after strike near Kyiv family home
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the French Open on May 24, 2026, just hours after a Russian missile struck near her family home in Kyiv. The 23-year-old 15th seed said she felt sick thinking how close the strike came to her mother, sister, and aunt, who were staying in the house. Kostyuk described the attack as one of the top three worst moments since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, noting that hundreds of drones and missiles hit Kyiv in one of the heaviest bombardments in four years. Despite the emotional strain, she produced an assured performance and even attempted an underarm serve. Kostyuk said withdrawing never crossed her mind because her family survived unharmed, but she lamented that support for Ukraine on the tennis circuit has faded as the war drags on. She faces Katie Volynets of the U.S. in the next round.
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