Kostyuk broke down in tears at Roland Garros over the Russian attack on Kyiv — The Telegraph
Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk advanced to the second round of the French Open, securing an emotional victory amid yet another round of shelling in the capital.
The Telegraph reports on this.
Immediately after the match ended, the athlete could not hold back her tears, as a Russian missile had nearly destroyed her parents’ home.
This incident significantly affected the Ukrainian’s mental state ahead of the start of the Paris major.
During the official press conference, Kostyuk showed journalists a photo of the destruction on her phone, clearly showing a smoke-filled residential complex.
As reported by The Telegraph, the enemy shell exploded in the immediate vicinity of her family’s home. The tennis player openly shared her feelings about the real threat to her family members’ lives.
“For most of the morning, I felt sick at the mere thought that if the rocket had been 100 meters closer, I probably wouldn’t have my mom and sister today,” Kostyuk commented.
Despite the immense emotional pressure, Ukraine’s top-ranked player was able to demonstrate high concentration and professionalism right on the court.
She confidently defeated Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3, controlling the match throughout both sets.
However, the athlete’s thoughts kept returning to the nighttime bombing of Kyiv and the danger her family had faced.
“It was very difficult to process everything so quickly and step onto the court. That’s why I’m very glad I played my first match, because I don’t know how things would have turned out if, for example, I had played last. It’s hard, but I’m very proud of myself for pulling through and advancing to the second round,” the tennis player said.
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