Marta Kostyuk achieved a challenging victory at the French Open, following news of a missile near her parents’ home in Ukraine. Her emotional win against Oksana Selekhmeteva, 6-2, 6-3, was marked by the devastating incident that occurred on the day of the match at Court Simonne-Mathieu, Roland Garros.
The 15th seed shared the difficulty of playing under distress. “It was one of the most difficult matches of my career,” Kostyuk stated. She received a message early in the morning about a missile striking near her family’s residence, which left her shaken. “If it was 100 meters closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mom and a sister today,” she reflected.
Kostyuk’s entire family, 17 people, were safe, fueling her resolve to play. She expressed gratitude for their safety, finding the strength to continue playing with the memory of Ukrainian resilience. “I looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their life,” she said. Ukrainian supporters, including her friends, were present, bolstering her resolve.
Kostyuk faced an unseeded opponent next, Katie Volynets. Meanwhile, her fellow Ukrainian, Elina Svitolina, prepared to play Anna Bondar.
Heat Challenges at Roland Garros
The opening day of the tournament saw extreme temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit), impacting players’ stamina. Frenchman Arthur Gea needed an emergency bathroom break during his match against No. 13 Karen Khachanov due to the heat. Spectators resorted to fanning themselves with folded newspapers, while players focused on staying hydrated.
On Court Philippe-Chatrier, No. 11 Belinda Bencic defeated Sinja Kraus, matching the scoreline set by Kostyuk earlier with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. The evening match featured three-time champion Novak Djokovic against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. As Djokovic celebrated his 39th birthday, he embarked on his record 82nd Grand Slam tournament, surpassing Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez.
Leave a Reply