PARIS — Rising star Mirra Andreeva, at just 19, clinched a spot in her inaugural Grand Slam final by triumphing over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk with a score of 6-1, 6-3 at the French Open on Thursday.
Andreeva sealed her victory on the first match point while serving. Following the match, there was no customary handshake; Kostyuk swiftly exited the court, only pausing to wave and blow kisses to the spectators on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where several fans proudly displayed Ukrainian flags.
“I’m ecstatic to be in my first Grand Slam final. The mix of emotions is incredible,” Andreeva expressed. “I told myself that no matter the outcome, I would fight and give my all. That mindset led me to victory.”
The atmosphere leading up to the match was notably tense, as both players posed for separate photos alongside children on opposite sides of the net, rather than the usual shared photo opportunity.
Kostyuk and her fellow compatriot, Oleksandra Oliynykova, have voiced their concerns throughout the tournament about the ongoing repercussions of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on their homeland.
Later in the day, the other semifinal featured left-handed competitors Diana Shnaider from Russia and Maja Chwalinska from Poland. Chwalinska, who advanced through three rounds of qualifying, had never before reached beyond the second round in a major tournament.
Andreeva showcased her resilience by saving three break points at 0-40 in her opening service game, quickly leaping to a 4-0 advantage with an array of stunning forehand winners. The crowd erupted in cheers when Kostyuk held her serve in the fifth game, but moments later, a misstep on her backhand handed Andreeva the first set.
Conditions Shift
The semifinal kicked off shortly after 3 p.m. under sunny skies with the roof open, unlike the previous day when Aryna Sabalenka and Anna Kalinskaya complained about the swirling winds on Chatrier.
As the second set progressed, the roof was closed, providing Kostyuk with favorable conditions for her clay court game. She broke back to bring the score to 4-3, igniting cheers and chants of “Marta, Marta” from the audience.
However, her momentum was short-lived as she dropped her next service game, marking an abrupt end to her comeback and her impressive 16-match winning streak on clay.
“Kostyuk has had an outstanding season. Until this match, she hadn’t lost on clay,” Andreeva acknowledged. “She’s a formidable player and a challenging opponent.”
In earlier action, top-seeded Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy clinched the mixed doubles title, overcoming Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and American Evan King with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.
An Italian player is guaranteed to advance to Sunday’s men’s singles final, with Flavio Cobolli set to face his fellow countryman Matteo Arnaldi on Friday for their first Grand Slam semifinal.
