Marta Kostyuk dedicates French Open quarter-final win to Ukraine

A tearful Marta Kostyuk dedicated her French Open quarter-final against compatriot Elina Svitolina to Ukraine after she made history to reach the last four in Paris.

The 23-year-old outlasted seventh seed Svitolina - who she earlier described as "a legend of Ukrainian tennis" - in a deciding set in the first major quarter-final between two Ukrainian women in history.

Kostyuk is the first Ukrainian woman in the Open era to reach the singles semi-finals at Roland Garros - and she achieved the feat with the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine never far from her mind.

Kostyuk and Svitolina took to court the day after a missile and drone attack killed at least 18 people across Ukraine.

Speaking on court following her 6-3 2-6 6-2 win, Kostyuk said: "We had another difficult night in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv where so many people died, so I want to give this match to Ukraine."

Kostyuk teared up as she was given a lengthy ovation by the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier, with interviewer Marion Bartoli stepping in to hug her.

She also paid tribute to four-time major semi-finalist Svitolina, saying: "I want to point out Elina's incredible impact on tennis, Ukrainians and me. She is incredible."

The first Ukrainian singles player to reach the last four at the French Open since Andrei Medvedev in 1999, Kostyuk will face Russian Mirra Andreeva for a place in Saturday's final.

Kostyuk joins Svitolina and Dayana Yastremska as only the third Ukrainian woman to reach the semi-finals at one of the sport's biggest tournaments.

She has achieved that despite the long-lasting impact of a war that has left her fearing for the safety of her family and friends since February 2022.

She began this French Open with a gritty victory in what she called "one of the most difficult matches" of her life, later showing journalists a photograph of a building on fire just 100 metres from her family home after Russian missiles struck Kyiv.

Asked about the importance of having Ukrainian representation in the tournament's latter stages, Svitolina, 31, said: "It's a big inspiration for the next generation. I think this is great for sports in general in Ukraine.

"[I'm] just very sad that we all have to put up with this heaviness and pain every single day, scared moments not knowing what the next day is going to bring for our family, for our friends, and for Ukraine in general."

Kostyuk was overcome with emotion following her historic meeting with Svitolina, which came a day after one of Moscow's largest assaults on Ukraine in recent months.

She has been vocal in her criticism of Russian players who have failed to denounce the war and, like her compatriots, has maintained a policy of not shaking hands with opponents from Russia and its ally Belarus.

On the apparent reluctance of her Russian counterparts to speak about the war, Kostyuk said: "For me, it's not frustrating anymore. They are all grown-ups.

"They are clearly aware of what's going on. If this is something that they want to avoid talking about, they have to live with this, not me.

"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."

Asked about facing a Ukrainian player next, Andreeva told the media: "It doesn't matter who I play. I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me and focus on the game."

Driven to deliver the title for Ukraine, Kostyuk will head into her semi-final on a 17-match winning streak on the clay this season.

"I still think it [the title] is very far. I have two matches to play and hopefully you will come and support me on Thursday," Kostyuk told the crowd, who gave her a standing ovation and waved Ukrainian flags.

Asked if she would perform another backflip at Roland Garros, just as she did after beating Andreeva to win the Madrid Open last month, Kostyuk added: "In Madrid I practised the day before the final.

"I don't need to practise here - I did it a month ago - but I promised I will only do it again when I win a final."