The Japan Times - Andreeva stays focused to race past Kostyuk into French Open 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 Saturday's 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.

"I felt like it was not the best moment for me," the Russian said.

Kostyuk won the next two games but promptly dropped serve to 15 and Andreeva duly served out the win.

"Obviously not the greatest match from me today," Kostyuk told her press conference.

Andreeva, naturally, was happier.

"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.

- 'Very, very excited' -

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."

K.Okada--JT