Russian player Andreeva edges Ukrainian opponent Kostyuk at French Open semi

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva has advanced to the French Open tennis final by defeating Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3. The match took place at Court Philippe-Chatrier on Thursday.

Andreeva secured her first Grand Slam final appearance after converting her first match point while serving for the win. There was no post-match handshake between the two players, with Kostyuk departing quickly and waving to the crowd before blowing kisses.

The atmosphere prior to the match was tense due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Both players had separate photos taken alongside children on their respective sides of the net, a departure from the usual practice of taking a joint photo together by the net.

Andreeva dominated the contest, controlling the pace and aggression throughout. She led 4-0 in the opening set and maintained her lead in the second set, ultimately serving out the match to secure victory.

In a post-match interview, Andreeva expressed her nervousness about competing against Kostyuk, citing her impressive season and the pressure that came with it. She also praised Kostyuk as an “amazing player” and expressed happiness with her performance, noting that she had secured revenge in their previous match at the Madrid final.

Andreeva will now face either compatriot Diana Shnaider or Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the French Open final.

Source: Al Jazeera