Kostyuk dedicates Roland Garros quarter-final win to Ukraine amid ongoing conflict

What happened

The BBC reports that Marta Kostyuk defeated fellow Ukrainian and seventh seed Elina Svitolina in the French Open quarter-finals, becoming the first Ukrainian woman in the Open era to reach the singles semi-finals at Roland Garros. Kostyuk dedicated the match and her win to Ukraine, reflecting on the recent missile and drone attacks in the country that resulted in civilian deaths.

Kostyuk’s victory was marked by emotion, as she referenced the difficult circumstances in Ukraine and the toll the conflict has taken, including a recent attack near her family home in Kyiv. She described the ongoing war as a backdrop to her performance, underscoring how deeply the conflict remains present in her mind.

Elina Svitolina, a four-time major semi-finalist and Ukrainian tennis legend, also expressed the significance of Ukrainian representation advancing in a major tournament amid the war. She acknowledged the heavy emotional burden faced by Ukrainian athletes and citizens, highlighting fears and uncertainties for family and friends due to the conflict.

Known from the source

• Marta Kostyuk defeated Elina Svitolina in the 2026 French Open quarter-finals.
• Kostyuk is the first Ukrainian woman in the Open era to reach the Roland Garros singles semi-finals.
• The match was the first major quarter-final between two Ukrainian women in history.
• There was a recent missile and drone attack in Ukraine that killed at least 18 people, including in Kyiv.
• Kostyuk dedicated her win to Ukraine and referenced the conflict affecting her family and country.

What remains unclear

Kostyuk criticized Russian players who have not spoken about the war, stating they are aware of the situation but choose not to acknowledge it publicly. She also maintains a policy of not shaking hands with players from Russia and Belarus, reflecting the tensions that extend into the sports arena.

What remains unclear: Confirm the casualty figures and details of the missile and drone attacks described. Verify exact wording and context of Kostyuk’s and Svitolina’s quotes. Confirm statements regarding Kostyuk’s criticism of Russian players and her handshake policy. Check the official match statistics for Kostyuk’s winning streak and historical records.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has treated the source material as confirmed within the supplied source context, while retaining attribution to the original publisher.

Original source: BBC Europe Ukraine. Open the source.