Roland Garros 2026 Women’s Day 1

Marta Kostyuk won a French Open match under the most extreme pressure on Sunday as she advanced to the second round after  a Russian drone and missile attack on her hometown overnight.

The winner of the Madrid title this month played her first match in more than three weeks, blocking out the tragedy unfolding in Kyiv.

Kostyuk defeated Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva, somehow appearing  here under Spanish colours, 6-2, 6-3.  

Her support box included Spanish BJK Cup captain Carla Suarez Navarro, who watched her hastily adopted player fire a dozen double-faults as she lost.

The 15th-ranked Kostyuk became emotional after her victory, calling the win “one of the most difficult matches of my career.

“This morning, 100 meters from my parent’s house, the missile destroyed the building. It was a very difficult morning. I didn’t know how this match is gonna turn out for me.

“I didn’t know how I would handle it. I’ve been crying part of the morning. I don’t wanna talk about myself today.” She added: “

I’m very pleased to be in the second round, but all of my thoughts and all my heart goes to the people of Ukraine today. Thank you so much for coming out. Slava Ukraine.” 

Eighth seed Mirra Andreeva made quick work of France’s Fiona Ferro 6-3, 6-3, thriving in the unusual broiling conditions.

“It’s a little bit unexpected for Paris, this kind of weather, but I was okay. 

“I’m  just happy that I was prepared (they) didn’t really bother me on the court.”

Emma Raducanu lost a seventh consecutive match as she was eliminated 6-0, 7-6 (4) by Argentine Solana Sierra. 

But the Brit who won the 2021 US Open and has done barely anything since put up a fight in the second set.

Trailing 4-1, Raducanu forced the match into a tiebreaker, where her South American opponent finally prevailed on a first match point.

Raducanu last won a match in February in between injury absences and will now transfer her attention to the brief grass season at home.

,Last year’s junior champion Lilli Tagger lost in the first Grand Slam main draw match of her career, saving four match points before going down to China’s Wang Xinyu.

The Austrian, linked with the management team handling fellow German-speaker Jannik Sinner, was unable to close the gap from 5-1 down in the third set against Wang.

Tagger pulled to 4-5 but took the loss with a forehand return into the net as Wang escaped with the victory after more than two hours on court.

Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic, playing the event for the first time in three years after taking leave to have a daughter, began her campaign 6-3, 6-3 over Sinja Kraus.

The No. 101 Austrian qualifier was playing a Grand Slam main draw for the first time but was unable to make an impression on the former Olympic champion.

Bencic will bid for the third round against Caty McNally after the American staged a fightback from a set and two breaks down, overhauling  Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

American Hailey Baptiste shocked 2021 Paris champion Barbora Krejcikova with a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (6), 6-2 result.

The defeat sent the two-time Grand Slam winner now ranked 42nd out in the first round for the fourth time in the past five editions since lifting the 2021 trophy.

“It was a very close first two sets, 7-6, 6-7, and I had set points in both sets that I wasn’t able to convert, but I just stayed tough,” the winner said.

“I saved a couple of match points in the second, and somehow got
over the finish line.”