The French Open
Roland Garros 2026 Women’s Day 10
Marta Kostyuk fought back tears in a wave of emotion after becoming the first Ukrainian to reach a Grand Slam semi-final with her 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 Tuesday win over compatriot and friend Elina Svitolina.
The 15th seed who has won her last 17 clay matches this season dedicated the win to the suffering of her fellow citizens who endured another night of Russian attacks in Kyiv and elsewhere.
“This was an historic match I played today with Elina,” the winner said. “It was another difficult night in Ukraine, so many people died.
“I give this match (win) to the Ukrainian people and their resilience.”
The seventh-seeded Svitolina was playing a Roland Garros quarter-final for the sixth time.
After splitting sets with her countrywoman, she was unable to break free in the deciding third, where the first five games went against serve.
Kostyuk instead made her move, holding for 4-2 and breaking for a 5-2 margin. She fired an ace in the next game to set up three match points and secured the win with an untouchable serve winner out wide in just under two hours.
“I’m very happy I found a way after the first two sets, here I had not been aggressive enough” the winner said. “I found my rhythm.
“But I kept asking myself how I wanted to play if I wanted to win the tournament. This was the answer and it worked.
“But the trophy is still far away, I would have two more matches. But I’m excited for Thursday, (semi-final).”
Kostyuk will now play Russian-born Mirra Andreeva, who boosted her chances of cracking the ranking top 5 as she ended the Roland Garros career of Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3.
Eighth seed Andreeva, aged 20, moved into her second semi-final here after first reaching the final four in 2024. She could break into the elite by reaching the Saturday final.
The French-based player overwhelmed a 36-year-old opponent who is sticking to the decision that this will be her last Tour season.
Andreeva, 19, swept the opening set in 22 minutes and emerged from a second-set run of three consecutive breaks of serve to tighten her grip on victory.
She finished in a concluding break of Cirstea with a forehand winner on match point to advance in 57 minutes over her regular 2026 practice partner.
“I knew the match would not be easy, and that I would have to put in 200 per cent of intensity and focus,” Andreeva said.
“She played aggressive and put the pressure on me. I’m happy I was able to do play aggressive throughout the whole match.
“Today my game felt on point.”
Andreeva’s victory was her 20th on clay this season from 23 matches played on the surface, the most on the WTA.
Main photo:- Marta Kostyuk celebrates beating compatriot – WTATennis.com
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev will claim world year-end No. 1 honours for the first time on the back of two Grand Slam titles and a final this season.,
The ATP confirmed the changing of the guard as current No. 1 Jannik Sinner ended his season early last week due to a knee injury which has kept him off court since winning Wimbledon three months ago.
Zverev won Roland Garros and US Open trophies and lost to Sinner in the All England Club final.
His reign at the top will begin after the ATP Final in Turin with the ranking period starting on November 23.
Zverev will be 29 years, 217 days old on the date, three days older than Andre Agassi in 1999 (29 years, 214 days).
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev by ISF Ltd
Zheng Qinwen continued an injury comeback season on Sunday, defeating Roland Garros winner Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to win the China Open.
Victory at the 1000-level event was the first trophy for the 54th-raked Chinese player who once reached fourth in the world before elbow surgery.
Zheng saved three set points in the opening set and claimed victory by winning the last 11 points of the set, breaking late in the second to conclude her success over her teenaged opponent.
The winner now owns six career trophies after winning her first 1000; she last claimed a title in Tokyo two years ago.
In an odd twist, the new winner was cajoled into singing a few bars of karaoke during the trophy ceremony.
She will now move back into the ranking top 25 while Andreeva advances to third in the world behind Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka after defeating her third top 10 opponent this season.
“The feeling was incredible, two weeks here in Beijing, in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams, especially playing against Mirra, such a great player,” the winner said.
“I’ve been through a very, very tough year.”
Andreeva broke new ground in her own career by reaching the final, becoming the third-youngest this century to reach the top 3 behind Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.
“She’s a great server. I also think today I missed a lot of returns trying to go for it, trying to be more aggressive,” Andreeva said,
“I wanted to go for it but couldn’t really find I guess the margin, couldn’t really find the rhythm, as well. I will probably need to look at this match and just see why, try to improve and learn from that.
“Overall of course it was a good tournament,” she added. “A lot of positives to take from these two weeks. Of course, I felt like today just wasn’t meant to be.
“I think I will be able to look to this match maybe from a different perspective and see maybe some good things.”
Main photo:- Zheng Quinwen by ISF Ltd
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