ROLAND GARROS — When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, tennis rushed to Ukraine’s aid.
Tournament organisers offered Ukrainians extra hotel rooms, players wore badges and ribbons in solidarity, the US Open raised $2m in a couple of days, the Australian Open topped that with its own event headlined by Rafa Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff.
But three years on, Vladimir Putin continues to rain down destruction on the people of Ukraine and at the grand slams you would barely know it was happening – compared to the wall-to-wall support of the war’s first year.
No one is more acutely aware of that contrast than Marta Kostyuk, whose first-round win in straight sets appeared routine – but in fact was anything but.
“It was one of the most difficult matches of my career,” Kostyuk said.
“This morning, 100 meters from my parent’s house, the missile destroyed the building. It was a very difficult morning.”
More than 100 people were injured in an attack that included 600 drones and 90 missiles (Photo: Getty)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 Ukraini [Glory to Ukraine].”
That she had even walked out onto Court Simone Mathieu was a show of incredible mental strength. To then produce such a clinical display, losing just five games, at a tournament where she has struggled traditionally was remarkable, given the context.
On Saturday night, her mother, sister and great-aunt were all in the Kostyuk home when a missile landed nearby, one of 90, including the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, which Russia deployed in a bombing wave that killed four people across Kyiv and injured more than 100.
“They are genuinely deranged,” Ukranian president Vlodymyr Zelenskyy said of the Russians on Telegram, a social media platform.
It was by a cruel twist of fate that Kostyuk had to play, having dragged herself away from early-morning messages and pictures of destruction, the Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva, even though the 23-year-old switched allegiances to represent Spain just two days ago.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Kostyuk has refused to shake hands with those representing Russia or Belarus, although she has sometimes changed that stance for players who have switched nationality.
There was no chance of her doing so today – just as there was no chance of her pulling out despite the distress.
“It’s important to keep going. My biggest example is Ukrainian people,” Kostyuk added.
“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. I knew a lot of Ukrainian flags would be here today and a lot of Ukrainian people would come out and support.”
Zelenskyy said the attack hit water supply facilities, a market, residential buildings and several schools (Photo: Getty)Kostyuk says it is “her job” to come out and not only play, but also put Ukrainian people and their plight on the world stage.
She and other players do still receive some help from tennis’s authorities: the WTA offer mental health support, additional hotel nights at various tournaments and has offered to assist with the requesting of wild cards and apparel for younger players; Wimbledon organisers also offer extra support to deal with supplementary accommodation.
But Kostyuk seems tragically resigned to the fact that Ukraine has been largely forgotten on tour.
“People adapt, people forget, people move on,” she said.
“I’m still trying to do things that I can to influence, and I use my platform, I use my speeches or whenever I have a moment to remind [people] about it, to remind them of the horror of lives of people.”
She added: “I live it anyways, and I have also adapted to the fact that the tour forgot about it.”
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