French Open Semi-Finals Shadowed by Ukraine-Russia Conflict

The ongoing war in Ukraine will serve as an inescapable backdrop to the women’s singles semi-finals at Roland Garros. On Thursday, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk will face Russia’s Mirra Andreeva, a matchup complicated by the deep-seated conflict between their home nations.

Kostyuk, 23, has emerged as one of the most vocal Ukrainian athletes regarding the invasion, which Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated in February 2022 under the guise of a "special military operation." Just last week, she revealed that a missile strike landed merely 100 meters from her family home in Kyiv during a recent wave of Russian attacks.

Following her quarter-final victory over fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, Kostyuk emphasized her commitment to raising awareness. "The biggest thing I can do is sit here and talk about [the war] so more people can find out about it and don't get used to this terrible life," she stated.

In contrast, 19-year-old Andreeva has consistently sidestepped questions about the geopolitical situation, a strategy she maintained ahead of her clash with Kostyuk. "It doesn’t matter who I play. I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me," Andreeva said. The teenager, who reached this stage of the tournament in 2024, added, "It doesn’t matter to me who I'm playing against, so I'm trying to really focus on the game and on the gameplan that I have to use on the court."

This will be the second meeting between the 15th-seeded Kostyuk and eighth-seeded Andreeva in just a few weeks. Last month in the Madrid Open final, Kostyuk secured a 6-3, 7-5 victory, claiming the largest title of her career. Notably, the two players did not engage in the traditional post-match handshake, adhering to the stance adopted by Ukrainian athletes following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion four years ago. This protocol is expected to hold true at Roland Garros as well.

If Kostyuk defeats Andreeva, extending her clay-court winning streak to 18 matches, she will likely face another Russian player, Diana Shnaider, in Saturday’s final. Shnaider, 22, advanced to her first major semi-final by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, a nation that supports the war which Sabalenka has previously condemned.

Shnaider’s path to the semi-finals has not been without controversy. Prior to her third-round match against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova, the Belarusian was accused of supporting the invasion. The accusation stemmed largely from Shnaider’s participation in an exhibition tournament in St. Petersburg sponsored by Gazprom, the state-owned Russian energy giant.

Oliynykova drew a stark parallel, stating, "I think it's the same as playing in Nazi Germany for Gestapo officers, on the tournament organised by company which built Auschwitz. There is no difference for me."

Shnaider defended her decision to compete in Russia, describing it as her "one opportunity" of the year to play before her family. She also declined to discuss the war or her personal feelings on the matter, a silence that drew criticism from Kostyuk.

"They are all grown-ups. They know what they're talking about. They know what's going on. They have phones. They have Instagram. They have news. They are clearly aware of what's going on," Kostyuk remarked. "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."

Kostyuk has dedicated each of her Roland Garros wins to her country. While she acknowledges the privilege of a career that keeps her away from Ukraine for extended periods, she notes that the suffering of those at home drives her performance. "This desire comes from there being no other options, when you have war behind your courtyard and you know sport in particular is the only way to escape that," said former world number five Daniela Hantuchova on BBC Radio 5 Live.

In the other semi-final, Shnaider is set to face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska, continuing the tournament’s theme of extended dream runs for lower-ranked players.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 05:12:21 UTC