Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Mirra Andreeva produced a sensational display to defeat Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday and reach her maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open 2026. The youngster needed just 76 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier to seal a dominant semifinal victory. The 19-year-old delivered one of the most composed performances of the tournament, avenging her defeat to Kostyuk in last month’s Madrid Open final.
advertisement
The victory also marked Andreeva’s first win over the Ukrainian after losing both of their previous meetings without winning a set. Two years after falling to Jasmine Paolini in the Roland Garros semifinals, Andreeva returned to the same stage and completed a memorable redemption story.
French Open 2026 semifinals Updates
She became the fifth-youngest woman to reach the French Open final in the last 30 years and recorded her tour-leading 35th win of the season. Remarkably, she ended Kostyuk’s unbeaten 17-match clay-court run in emphatic fashion.
‘CONDITIONS WERE TOUGH’
After the match, Andreeva admitted that the windy conditions made life difficult, describing the contest as unpredictable and challenging. The teen sensation said she focused on accepting whatever happened on court and was determined to give her absolute best, ensuring that Kostyuk would have to fight hard for every point.
“Yeah, first of all, the conditions were very tough today. It was windy. I couldn’t understand which direction the wind was going, and it was very tough,” Andreeva said after the match.
“But I’m happy that I was able to stay focused. I told myself to accept everything that happened on the court today because it was one of those days when I felt like everything could happen. It was a little bit unpredictable.
“I just told myself that no matter what happens, I’m going to give my best. If she ends up winning, then she’s going to have to really work for it and fight for it,” Andreeva added.
In the final, Andreeva will be up against the winner of the other semifinal between Diana Shnaider and Maja Chwalinska.
ANDREEVA MAKES KOSTYUK WORK HARD
Andreeva laid the foundation for her historic victory with a near-flawless opening set that left Kostyuk chasing the match from the very beginning. The 19-year-old struck early, breaking the Ukrainian’s serve in the opening game before producing one of the key moments of the set.
After falling 0-40 down on her own serve, Andreeva displayed remarkable composure to save three break points and reel off five consecutive points to move 2-0 ahead. From there, the Russian teenager never looked back.
Dictating rallies from the baseline and moving Kostyuk relentlessly around the court, Andreeva raced into a 4-0 lead in just 16 minutes. Kostyuk, who arrived unbeaten on clay this season, struggled to find her rhythm as errors crept into her game.
Andreeva eventually wrapped up the set 6-1 in only 33 minutes, winning 79 percent of her first-serve points and breaking twice. It was the first set she had ever won against Kostyuk, and she did so in emphatic fashion.
ANDREEVA POWERS PAST KOSTYUK
If the first set showcased Mirra Andreeva’s brilliance, the second highlighted her maturity and composure under pressure. Marta Kostyuk had an opportunity to change the complexion of the match early in the set, but Andreeva saved break points and held firm, extending a trend that would ultimately define the contest. The Ukrainian failed to convert any of her break-point chances, while Andreeva repeatedly delivered in the biggest moments.
The Russian teenager soon opened up a 2-0 lead and continued to dictate play with her aggressive baseline game, keeping Kostyuk pinned behind the court. Although the Ukrainian fought hard and managed to break back when trailing 2-4, Andreeva refused to let the momentum swing. In a decisive response, she immediately broke Kostyuk’s serve again to move 5-3 ahead.
That proved to be the turning point. Calm, clinical and fearless, Andreeva never allowed Kostyuk to believe in a comeback, closing out a superb victory to reach her maiden Grand Slam final.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
