Russia’s Andreeva ends Ukraine’s Kostyuk’s dream run in no-handshake French Open semi
Key takeaways
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- The 19-year-old eighth seed seized control from the first ball on Court Philippe Chatrier, racing to a 4-0 lead behind blistering backhands and a first serve that Kostyuk couldn’t solve.
- As has become standard for Ukrainian players since Russia’s 2022 invasion, Kostyuk did not pose for the traditional pre-match photo with Andreeva and there was no handshake before or after.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize. A politically charged semifinal at Roland-Garros ended with Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva powering into her maiden Grand Slam final Thursday, dispatching Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 — and, as expected, there was no handshake at the net.
The 19-year-old eighth seed seized control from the first ball on Court Philippe Chatrier, racing to a 4-0 lead behind blistering backhands and a first serve that Kostyuk couldn’t solve. Andreeva dropped just four games and wrapped up the win on her first match point, throwing her racket in the air before pumping her fist.
But the subtext was unavoidable. As has become standard for Ukrainian players since Russia’s 2022 invasion, Kostyuk did not pose for the traditional pre-match photo with Andreeva and there was no handshake before or after. The players had separate photos taken with ball kids on their own sides of the net. Kostyuk walked off quickly, blowing kisses to a crowd dotted with Ukrainian flags.