In a moment that blended sporting triumph with raw, heartfelt grief, 23-year-old Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk etched her name into Grand Slam history at the 2025 French Open, dedicating her historic quarterfinal victory to her war-torn homeland after outlasting compatriot Elina Svitolina in a three-set thriller.
The clash on Paris’ Court Philippe Chatrier marked the first ever major quarterfinal contested between two Ukrainian women, a landmark moment for the country’s tennis community that unfolded against the grim backdrop of a devastating Russian missile and drone strike that killed at least 18 people across Ukraine just 24 hours before the two players took the court. When the final point landed to secure Kostyuk’s 6-3 2-6 6-2 win, an emotional Kostyuk broke down in tears as she addressed the cheering Paris crowd, making clear where her win belonged.
“We had another difficult night in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv where so many people died, so I want to give this match to Ukraine,” she said, her voice cracking as former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli stepped in to embrace her during the post-match on-court interview. The Parisian crowd responded with a lengthy standing ovation, with many spectators waving Ukrainian flags in a show of solidarity.
Beyond the historic result, Kostyuk also paid warm tribute to Svitolina, the 31-year-old seventh seed who has long been a trailblazer for Ukrainian tennis. Calling Svitolina “a legend of Ukrainian tennis” ahead of the match, Kostyuk doubled down on that praise after the win, noting, “I want to point out Elina’s incredible impact on tennis, Ukrainians and me. She is incredible.” For her part, Svitolina framed the shared achievement of two Ukrainian players reaching the sport’s later stages as a beacon for the next generation of athletes from her country, even as she acknowledged the unrelenting weight of war hanging over every Ukrainian.
“It’s a big inspiration for the next generation. I think this is great for sports in general in Ukraine,” Svitolina told reporters. “[I’m] just very sad that we all have to put up with this heaviness and pain every single day, scared moments not knowing what the next day is going to bring for our family, for our friends, and for Ukraine in general.”
With the win, Kostyuk becomes the first Ukrainian woman in the Open Era to advance to the Roland Garros singles semifinals, and only the third Ukrainian woman ever to reach the final four of any Grand Slam, joining Svitolina and Dayana Yastremska. The last Ukrainian singles player to reach the French Open semifinals was Andrei Medvedev in 1999, meaning Kostyuk’s run ends a 26-year drought for her country at the clay-court major.
Kostyuk’s historic run comes amid the unrelenting Russian invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has forced her and all of her compatriots to carry constant worry for loved ones back home. When this year’s French Open began, Kostyuk showed reporters photos of a building in flames just 100 meters from her family’s Kyiv home following a Russian missile strike, a stark reminder of the danger her loved ones face daily.
A consistent and vocal critic of Russian players who have refused to denounce the invasion, Kostyuk, like many of her Ukrainian compatriots, maintains a policy of refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents. Asked about the widespread silence from Russian players on the ongoing war, she said she has grown accustomed to the inaction. “For me, it’s not frustrating anymore. They are all grown-ups. They are clearly aware of what’s going on. If this is something that they want to avoid talking about, they have to live with this, not me. I don’t know how you can sleep at night peacefully when you know that this is going on and you have nothing to say about it.”
Next up for Kostyuk is a semifinal clash against Russian rising star Mirra Andreeva, with a spot in Saturday’s French Open final on the line. When asked about facing an opponent from Russia, Andreeva struck a neutral tone, telling reporters, “It doesn’t matter who I play. I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me and focus on the game.”
Heading into the semifinal, Kostyuk carries an impressive 17-match clay winning streak to start the 2025 season, the longest opening-season clay streak on the WTA Tour since Iga Swiatek won her first 18 matches on the surface in 2022. Driven by a desire to bring the trophy home for Ukraine, Kostyuk kept her focus on the task ahead, telling the cheering Paris crowd, “I still think it [the title] is very far. I have two matches to play and hopefully you will come and support me on Thursday.”
When asked if she would repeat the backflip celebration she pulled off after beating Andreeva to win the Madrid Open last month, Kostyuk joked that she was already prepared. “In Madrid I practised the day before the final. I don’t need to practise here – I did it a month ago – but I promised I will only do it again when I win a final,” she said.