Two Ukrainians walked onto the clay at Roland Garros knowing only one could advance. When the final point landed, it was Marta Kostyuk standing tall, and the weight of that moment visibly broke through her composure.

The WTA recorded what happened next in a 16-second video they posted. With no words, just a showing of her win to the applauding crowd, Kostyuk bent over the net, face covered, and passionately expressed her emotions.

The numbers show why this moment was so meaningful and emotional. In the match that lasted 1 hour and 49 minutes, 15th-seeded Kostyuk took down 7th-seeded Svitolina with a final score of 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Of the 14 final match points, Kostyuk captured 13.

At 23, Kostyuk made history as the first woman from Ukraine to make it to the Roland Garros semifinals in the Open Era. Kostyuk joins Svitolina and Dayana Yastremska as the three Ukrainian women who have reached the Grand Slam semifinals.

This victory ended Svitolina’s 10-match winning streak and extended Kostyuk’s winning streak to 17 matches.

Kostyuk’s acknowledgment of Svitolina after the match showed her appreciation for the trailblazer. Speaking on court in the post-match interview, she said:

"I want to point out Elina and her incredible impact on Ukrainian tennis, on Ukrainians, and on me. Everyone who's watching, she's an unbelievable fighter."

Svitolina continues to be the most successful Ukrainian player in the WTA. Svitolina defeated Kostyuk, who was 15 ‌in the 2018 Australian Open. This win leaves the record of their matches at 2-1 in Svitolina’s favor.

Kostyuk’s emotion from her previous match is fresh. She will face a familiar opponent whom she has defeated earlier this year.

Andreeva Stands Between Marta Kostyuk and a Grand Slam Final

Kostyuk advanced to the semifinals and now faces World No. 8 Mirra Andreeva on Thursday, June 4, for an exciting rematch. The two players achieved semifinal placement on the same date in Paris, but through very different games.

Kostyuk had to fight for three sets to get past Svitolina, while Andreeva was quick to take out Sorana Cirstea with a 6-0, 6-3 win to book her second Grand Slam semifinal at Roland Garros.

Kostyuk heads into the game with a 17-match win streak on clay and a 2-0 win record over Andreeva, having beaten her in both of their encounters this year in straight sets.

Their rivalry kicked off at the 2026 Brisbane International, where Kostyuk came out on top in a closely contested quarterfinal.

However, Kostyuk made her mark on clay. The pair faced off in the 2026 Madrid Open final, where Kostyuk clinched her first WTA 1000 title with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.

Their match on Thursday will be their third and another high-stakes meeting on the surface that has given Kostyuk the most trouble this season, and where Andreeva has performed the best.

Comment down who you think wins the Kostyuk vs Andreeva semifinal on Thursday.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta