"Every day is painful," Ukrainian female players shed tears; Russia says, "We don't care about the opponent"... The 'cruel semifinals' created by war

*This content was translated by AI.

This is a cruel semifinal round born of war. At the world-renowned tennis tournament, the French Open, a player from Ukraine and a player from Russia, both nations directly involved in the conflict, will face off in a single-elimination match for a spot in the final.

Reuters reported on the 3rd (Korean time), "As the semifinal bracket takes shape, the shadow of war looms heavily over the French Open. 'Amid the ongoing war, Ukrainian and Russian players are set to face each other. Beyond the match itself, an emotional weight has been added,' the report stated.

Ukrainian national Marta Kostyuk (24) faced fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (32) in the women's singles quarterfinals held on the 2nd at Roland Garros in Paris, France. Kostyuk won with a set score of 2-1 (6-3, 2-6, 6-2), advancing to the tournament semifinals.

Her semifinal opponent is none other than Russian national Mira Andreeva (19). Andreeva, who has caused a surprising upset at this tournament and is receiving significant attention, defeated Romania's Sorana Cirstea (36) 2-0 (6-0, 6-3) in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals. Consequently, Kostyuk and Andreeva will face off in a fateful match on the 4th to determine who advances to the final.

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine now in its fifth year, the matchup between a Ukrainian and a Russian national in the Grand Slam semifinals has added weight beyond the game itself.

Andreeva first stated her intention to focus solely on the match despite the overwhelming attention. She said, "I usually don't care who my opponent is. So I plan to focus only on the game plan I will show on the court and in the match."

However, the weight felt by Ukrainian players was different. Kostyuk revealed that she is competing under the psychological burden caused by the war. She said that after Russian missiles struck near her family's home in Kyiv, Ukraine, early in the tournament, "Tennis is a mental battle. But this time was completely different. I didn't even know how my concentration would hold or if I could control my thoughts."

Svitolina, who lost to Kostyuk in the quarterfinals, also did not hide the pain of war. Svitolina is one of the most prominent players who has publicly opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She said, "It is very sad that we all have to endure this heaviness and pain every day. There are also terrifying moments where we don't know what will happen to our families, friends, and all of Ukraine the next day."

Meanwhile, the other quarterfinal matchups are not free from the shadow of war either. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (28) is a Belarusian national. She faces Russia's Diana Shnaider (22) in the quarterfinals on the 3rd. Currently, Russian and Belarusian players are competing as neutral athletes in Grand Slam and other tennis tournaments without their national flags.

This is due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Belarus is also classified as a country that supported Russia's military actions, so players from both nations cannot use national symbols such as flags and anthems in international competitions. Anna Kalinskaya (28) of Russia, who also reached the quarterfinals of this tournament, is no exception. Kalinskaya will face Poland's Maya Hrabal (25) in the quarterfinals on the 3rd.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.