Kostyuk made some harsh comments about the Russian players ahead of the Roland Garros semifinals
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has advanced to the semifinals of Roland Garros, and following her victory over Elina Svitolina, she spoke candidly about her matches against Russian opponents, particularly her upcoming match against Mirra Andreeva. She said she has learned to separate politics from sports, but her personal emotions surrounding this issue haven’t gone away. This was reported by Tennis Actu TV.
In Paris, Kostyuk made one of her most striking statements of the tournament, and it came immediately after a hard-fought victory in the Ukrainian derby, where she defeated Elina Svitolina in three sets—6-3, 2-6, 6-2—and advanced to the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.
Speaking about her upcoming match against Russian Mirra Andreeva, the Ukrainian emphasized that on the court, it all comes down to the game for her, not her opponent’s name, and that she has already learned not to let external factors influence the outcome. “If I hadn’t been able to separate those things, I doubt I would have been able to beat Mirra twice this year. I’m handling it much better now. I step onto the court to play tennis and do my job. So nothing will change for me on Thursday,” Kostyuk said.
At the same time, the tennis player didn’t hide her emotions when she spoke about the stance of Russian athletes who avoid commenting on the war. “It doesn’t bother me anymore. They’re adults; they know what’s going on. They have phones, the internet, and news. If they choose to stay silent—that’s their choice. They’re the ones who’ll have to live with it, not me,” she said.
Kostyuk also added that she finds it difficult to accept the lack of a clear stance in a situation where a war is ongoing, and emphasized that for her personally, this remains a morally challenging issue.
In the Roland Garros semifinals, the Ukrainian will face Mirra Andreeva. The match is scheduled for June 4 and has already become one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament.
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has advanced to the semifinals of Roland Garros and learned who her opponent will be in the decisive match for a spot in the final.
Earlier, Marta Kostyuk advanced to the round of 16 at Roland Garros.
Former Russian player Putintseva was eliminated from Roland Garros.
