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The Guardian World1 min read
Russia’s Andreeva beats Ukraine’s Kostyuk in no-handshake French Open semi
TL;DR
Mirra Andreeva of Russia defeated Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 to reach her first Grand Slam final at the French Open. The match ended without a handshake, highlighting the tense atmosphere between the players amid ongoing conflict.
Key points
- Mirra Andreeva reached her first Grand Slam final
- Andreeva defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3
- No post-match handshake occurred
- Tense atmosphere with separate photos taken
- Kostyuk has spoken out about the war's impact
Mentioned in this story
Mirra AndreevaMarta KostyukFrench Open
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-1, 6-3 in a tense encounter at the French Open.
Andreeva converted her first match point when she served for the tennis match on Thursday.
There was no post-match handshake between the pair, however, and Kostyuk walked off quickly, turning only to wave and blow kisses to the crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier, where some fans were draped in Ukrainian flags.
The atmosphere beforehand was somewhat tense as the players had separate photos taken as they each stood next to two children on their respective sides of the net. Usually, the players pose for the same photo, standing right next to each other by the net.
Kostyuk and countrywoman Oleksandra Oliynykova have spoken out during the tournament about the impact Russia’s four-year invasion of Ukraine is having on their country.
The eighth seed seized control from the outset and never loosened her grip on the contest, overwhelming Kostyuk with her depth and aggression on Court Philippe-Chatrier to set up a title clash against compatriot Diana Shnaider or Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska.
Andreeva, 19, raced into a 4-0 lead in the opening set and barely looked back in the third meeting between the two players, the Ukrainian having won the first two.
Kostyuk briefly threatened to make a contest of it in the second set, but the Russian swiftly snuffed out any hopes of a comeback before serving out the match to complete a dominant display.
“I’m still very nervous, very nervous coming to this match as she’s had an amazing season, she hadn’t lost on clay, so that put pressure,” said Andreeva.
“She’s an amazing player, a tough opponent, so I’m super happy with the way I played. I’m happy I got revenge for the Madrid final, and to reach my first Grand Slam final.
“All of these feelings combined, I’ve never felt anything like this. I’m very excited about the last match here in Paris.”
Top-seeded Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy won the mixed doubles final earlier Thursday, beating Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Evan King of the US 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.
An Italian is guaranteed to be in Sunday’s men’s French Open singles final, with Flavio Cobolli facing fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi on Friday in the first Grand Slam semifinal for both players.
Q&A
What was the score of the match between Andreeva and Kostyuk?
Mirra Andreeva won the match against Marta Kostyuk with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Why was there no handshake after the French Open semi-final?
There was no handshake between Andreeva and Kostyuk due to the tense atmosphere related to the ongoing conflict between their countries.
What impact has the war in Ukraine had on players like Kostyuk?
Players like Marta Kostyuk have spoken out about the significant impact of Russia's invasion on Ukraine, affecting their experiences in tournaments.
