Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk advanced to the second round of the 2026 French Open on Sunday, managing to successfully overcome a difficult morning on the home front.
Hours before her Roland Garros matchup, a Russian missile strike nearly destroyed her family home in Kyiv, as the Ukraine war continues to make headlines around the world.
Russian Missile Strike Narrowly Misses French Open Star's Family
According to reports, Marta Kostyuk received photos of the blast just three hours before taking the court.
The photographs showed a burning high-rise building some 100 meters away from her family home. Her mother, sister, and aunt were all inside the residence during the attack.
The bombardment was part of a wave of drone and missile strikes launched across Ukraine. The overnight attacks killed four people and injured approximately 83 others in the capital city.
Marta Kostyuk: "It was one of the most difficult matches of my career. This morning, 100 meters away from my parents' house, a missile destroyed a building.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@BohuslavskaKate) May 24, 2026
And it was a very difficult morning for me. I didn't know how this match is going to turn around for me. I didn't know how… pic.twitter.com/khXGcuGWX7
Despite the emotional distress, the 15th seed defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 in 78 minutes, hitting 20 winners during the match. Afterward, she explained that the ongoing conflict with Russia made focusing nearly impossible.
"I felt sick just for the thought that if it was 100 meters closer, I probably wouldn't have a mum and a sister today," Kostyuk said postmatch.
The 23-year-old went on to express pride in her resilience, crediting the strength of the Ukrainian people for inspiring her to take the court in Paris.
