Marta Kostyuk has never shied away from speaking candidly about the war in her home country and its impact on Ukrainian athletes. The 2026 French Open has been no different, with Kostyuk once again addressing the stance of Russian and Belarusian players during her latest press conference.
The Ukrainian has enjoyed an outstanding clay-court season, highlighted by her title-winning run at the Madrid Open before arriving in Paris. At Roland Garros, she has continued that momentum, defeating Oksana Selekhmeteva, Katie Volynets, Viktorija Golubic, four-time champion Iga Swiatek, and most recently compatriot Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 to book her place in the semifinals.
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After the match, Kostyuk was asked about Russian and Belarusian players who often deflect questions about the war by saying they are only focused on tennis and “play against the ball.” The Ukrainian admitted she finds it difficult to comprehend how those who remain silent on the issue can live with themselves while the war continues to affect millions of people in her country.
“They’re all grown-ups,” Marta Kostyuk said. “They have phones, they have Instagram, they have news – they are clearly aware of what’s going on. This is something they want to avoid talking about. They have to live with this, not me.”
“I wish there was some more clear stance on what’s going on, especially when your country is killing other people. I don’t know how you can sleep at night peacefully when you know this is going on and you have nothing to say about,” she added.
Marta Kostyuk dedicates French Open win to Ukraine after reaching first Grand Slam SF
Marta Kostyuk reached the first Grand Slam semifinal of her career after defeating compatriot Elina Svitolina at the 2026 French Open. Following the milestone victory, Kostyuk dedicated the achievement to her home country, Ukraine, which continues to be affected by the ongoing war.
Kostyuk said:
“We had a very difficult night again in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, so many people dead. I want to give this match to Ukrainian people and to their resilience. Slava Ukraini! [Glory to Ukraine!]. I texted my family if they were okay. This is pretty much all I can do. The biggest thing I can do is sit here and talk about it so more people can find out about it so they don’t get used to this terrible life.”
Next up, Kostyuk will face Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals at Roland Garros. Andreeva has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, recording victories over Fiona Ferro, Marina Bassols Ribera, Marie Bouzkova, Jil Teichmann, and Sorana Cirstea to reach the last four.
The semifinal will carry extra intrigue given the nationalities involved, with Kostyuk set to take on a Russian opponent as she bids to continue her dream run and reach her maiden Grand Slam final.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh