Marta Kostyuk Reaches in Semi-finals of French Open After Demolishing Svitolina

Marta Kostyuk secured the biggest result of her Grand Slam career on Tuesday, defeating fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina to book a place in the French Open semi-finals for the first time.

The 15th seed overcame a mid-match fightback from Svitolina to claim a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier, becoming the latest first-time semi-finalist at Roland Garros. The result also ensured that Kostyuk defeats Svitolina in a major tournament meeting for the first time.

The contest carried added significance as it featured two of Ukraine's highest-profile players on one of tennis' biggest stages. After sealing victory, Kostyuk used her on-court interview to acknowledge the difficult circumstances facing her home country.

"I want to start with this historical match I played with Elina. We had a difficult night in Kyiv, so many people dead. So I give this match to the Ukrainian people and their resilience. Slava Ukraini," the 15th seed said.

"I want to point out Elina and her impact on Ukrainian tennis, on me and on everyone watching. She's an unbelievable fighter. I'm so happy to be through, but I want to thank her for this incredible match."

The opening set swung in Kostyuk's favour after she established an early advantage and maintained control from the baseline. Svitolina responded strongly in the second set, capitalising on a dip in her opponent's serving rhythm to force the match into a decider.

Momentum continued to shift in the third set, where neither player found consistency on serve during the opening exchanges. Kostyuk eventually gained separation midway through the set, winning key points in longer rallies and limiting Svitolina's opportunities to recover.

The victory means Marta Kostyuk reaches the Semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. She will now face Russia's Mirra Andreeva for a place in the French Open 2026 final.

For Svitolina, the defeat marked another disappointment in the latter stages of Roland Garros, where she has repeatedly challenged deep into the tournament but remains without a semi-final appearance.