PARIS: Marta Kostyuk’s first-round win at the French Open became one of her toughest matches after she found out beforehand that a missile almost hit her parents’ home in Ukraine.
Kostyuk fought back tears after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 on Court Simonne-Mathieu on the opening day of the clay-court Grand Slam at Roland Garros in western Paris.
“I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career,” the 15th-seeded Kostyuk said.
After the match, she thanked fans and received an ovation. “I think it’s important to keep going,” the 23-year-old Kostyuk said.
She next plays unseeded American Katie Volynets and Kostyuk’s countrywoman Elina Svitolina — a recent winner at the Italian Open in Rome — faces Anna Bondar on Monday.
Sunday’s opening day saw players coping with high temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) — with the intense heat contributing to Frenchman Arthur Gea taking an emergency bathroom break early into his first-round loss to No. 13 Karen Khachanov on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Spectators folded newspapers in half and fanned themselves to keep cool as players on court attempted to stay hydrated.
The opening match on Court Philippe-Chatrier saw No. 11 Belinda Bencic beating Sinja Kraus 6-2, 6-3 and 2024 runner-up Alexander Zverev followed with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win against Benjamin Bonzi. The second-seeded German plays unseeded Tomas Machac next.
