Teen snubs handshake as Andreeva reaches first final

The 19-year-old Russian took one hour and 16 minutes to overcome her Ukrainian opponent and reach a first Grand Slam final. Andreeva will play Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the final. “I was so focused that I could see those hairs on the ball,” the eighth seed told her press conference. “One thing is when you see the hairs on the ball for a couple of points, and the other thing is when you’re able to do it throughout the whole match. Today was one

of those matches where I was focused throughout.” Kostyuk, the 15th seed, had won her previous two meetings with Andreeva, both this year. The most recent was on clay in the final in Madrid. Yet, on Thursday, the 23-year-old quickly started to unravel against her teenage opponent. Kostyuk dropped serve in the first game after two double faults and a pair of unforced errors. She led 0-40 in Andreeva’s first service game but a combination of Kostyuk errors on high-risk strokes and the Russian’s steadier

defence allowed Andreeva to recover to consolidate the break. The pattern persisted as Andreeva grabbed the initiative to win the 34-minute set. Kostyuk had a break point in the first game of the second set but could not take it. The Ukrainian, who finished with 34 unforced errors, said the swirling winds on Court Philippe Chatrier troubled her, particularly on serve. With rain approaching and Andreeva 4-1 in the second set, organisers closed the court roof. “This is a first, I’ve never actually seen the

roof close while play is underway,” Todd Woodbridge said on Nine’s coverage. “Usually, they halter or bring it in tight, but they’ve played all the way through closing.” “I felt like it was not the best moment for me,” Andreeva said when asked about the move in her post-match press conference. Kostyuk won the next two games but promptly dropped serve to 15 and Andreeva duly served out the win. The result came just two days after Kostyuk, who refused to shake Andreeva’s hand, took

a swipe at her Russian rivals. “You know, after four years, I think they’ve made it very clear whose side they are on,” she said following her quarter final win. So, again, this is their burden to carry and this is what they live with, not me.” Andreeva was thrilled with the win “I’m super happy with the way I played and then that I got revenge for Madrid final and I’m happy that I’m in my first-ever Grand Slam final,” she said. Andreeva was

the only one of the women’s semi-finalists to have reached this stage at one of the four majors — she lost to Jasmine Paolini at the last-four stage of Roland Garros in 2024. On Thursday she went one step further. “I’m nervous but at the same time I’m very, very excited,” added Andreeva of playing her first major title-decider. For Kostyuk, the loss brought to an end a 17-match winning run on the red dirt that also brought her titles in Rouen and Madrid and

into her first Grand Slam semi-final. What lay behind her surge, she was asked. “A lot of therapy,” she said. “I didn’t like to be with myself. “I think when the full-scale war started, I realised I needed to change my perspective on life, because it’s clearly not just tennis.” Kostyuk added: “The battles that I have won against myself and in my head, Grand Slams is nothing compared to it.” “I went through such an incredible journey of becoming a different player, different person.

History made as qualifier reaches final Polish world number 114 Maja Chwalinska admitted she felt “overwhelmed” by her shock run from qualifying to the final of the French Open, following her semi-final victory over Diana Shnaider on Thursday. The 24-year-old’s 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 victory over Russian 25th seed Shnaider made her only the second woman to come through qualifying and reach a Grand Slam final in any major since the Open era began, after Emma Raducanu’s title run at the US Open in 2021. Chwalinska

will meet Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s title-decider. After sending a forehand winner past Shnaider on her first match point on Court Philippe Chatrier and collapsing to the ground, Chwalinska told reporters she felt “so many emotions”. “I was just in such a shock. You know, just, I don’t know, joy, surprise,” she added of that victorious moment on court. “I was just very, I feel like, overwhelmed also.” Appearing in her first main draw in Paris, Chwalinska, who had on three previous

occasions failed to qualify for Roland Garros, has won nine matches across her three-week French Open campaign to stand on the brink of glory. “I didn’t have many experiences, many opportunities before to play against such great players and high-ranked players,” she said. “So it’s actually the first time that I have this opportunity. I’m happy that I’m taking it.” – ‘Just one more match’ – Chwalinska said her run to the final was “like a dream” moments after beating Shnaider. “I don’t know what’s

going on, I just, I dunno what to say. I’m sorry, I’m just very happy,” she added to raucous applause on Court Philippe Chatrier. One aspect of her run has been her ice-cold composure on court across. “I’m crazy sometimes also, yeah,” Chwalinska said of her emotions. “But I try to stay composed because I know it’s the best way for me. But inside there’s a storm believe me.” She added that despite her cool, calm exterior, she was acutely aware that she was on

the edge of achieving something monumental. “Let’s not pretend someone expected it,” Chwalinska said. “I mean, I was outside the top 100, and now I’m in the finals of a Grand Slam, so I feel like it’s a big thing.” In an intriguing clash of styles between the variety of Chwalinska’s game and the power-hitting of Shnaider, it was the diminutive Pole who earned the first break to get 3-1 ahead before the Russianstruck back. After edging the first set on a tie-break, the second

frame was level until Shnaider requested a medical time-out for a back massage. After that stoppage, at 4-3, Chwalinska won the next three games to claim victory. “I will give my all, it’s a Grand Slam final,” Chwalinska said, looking forward. “Let me enjoy this moment for now. I just want to breathe a little, enjoy it today then just recover as best I can,” she added of preparations for her 10th and final match of the tournament. Should Chwalinska lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen

come the weekend, she will enter the top 15 in the WTA rankings. By reaching the final she is already ensured of climbing to world number 21. “Now I know that my ranking will allow me to play more at the highest-ranked tournaments,” she said. “I guess we’ll see how I will continue. For now I’m just trying to focus on just one more match. Originally published as Teen snubs Russian opponent’s handshake as history made at Roland Garros

Mirra Andreeva, Elina Kostyuk, Maja Chwalinska, French Open, Roland Garros, handshake, Court Philippe Chatrier roof closes, Coupe Suzanne Lenglen