Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday, hours after a missile struck near her parents' home in Kyiv.
The 15th-seeded Kostyuk extended her clay-court winning streak to 12 matches following recent titles in Rouen and Madrid.
Her opponent, Selekhmeteva, was born in Russia but recently switched her athletic allegiance to Spain before the tournament at Roland Garros.
Kostyuk hit 20 winners during the match, including 12 from her forehand, to advance to the second round.
Emotional Turmoil Before the Match
Kostyuk revealed that a missile destroyed a building just 100 meters away from her family home in Kyiv.
She entered the match uncertain of her emotional stability after spending the morning crying.
"I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career.
This morning, 100 meters away from my parents' house, a missile destroyed the building," Kostyuk said during her on-court interview.
"It was a very difficult morning. I didn't know how this match was going to turn around for me.
I didn't know how I would handle it. I've been crying part of the morning," she added.
Kostyuk emphasized the importance of persisting, citing the resilience of the Ukrainian public as her primary motivation.
"I think it's important to keep going. My biggest example is Ukrainian people.
I woke up in the morning today and I looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their lives, kept helping people who are in need," she said.
She noted the presence of Ukrainian flags and friends who arrived to offer their support at Roland Garros.
"I knew a lot of Ukrainian flags would be here today and a lot of Ukrainian people would come out and support.
My friends from Ukraine came as well. Very happy to have them here.
Not much I can say," Kostyuk said.
Career Resurgence After Rock Bottom
The victory marks a significant turnaround for the 23-year-old Kostyuk, who had considered quitting the sport at the end of 2025 after hitting what she described as rock bottom.
"I kind of hit rock bottom," Kostyuk said in a video interview prior to the tournament.
Kostyuk explained to her coach that she felt like she was shedding her skin layer by layer, addressing deep emotional difficulties that had accumulated over four years.
"I told her that it feels like I'm literally shedding my skin.
Like it's coming off, and I have to rip it, and it's very painful because you hit these very deep, emotional things that are difficult to process," she said.
Despite a data analysis showing her performance warranted a top 10 position, Kostyuk remained frustrated with her ranking earlier in 2026.
Her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, told her to wait, a prediction validated after Kostyuk secured the WTA 1000 title in Madrid.
Following her opening match in Paris, Kostyuk expressed immense pride regarding her mental focus.
"I'm incredibly proud of myself today," Kostyuk said during her on-court interview.
Kostyuk will face either Katie Volynets or Clara Burel in the second round of the French Open.
