No handshake and no photo as Andreeva of Russia beats Kostyuk of Ukraine to reach French Open final

Kostyuk and countrywoman Oleksandra Oliynykova have spoken out during the tournament about the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having on their country.

Later Thursday, the other semifinal featured left-handed players Diana Shnaider of Russia and Maja Chwalinska of Poland. Chwalinska came through three qualifying rounds and had never previously been beyond the second round at a major.

Andreeva saved three break points at 0-40 in her opening service game, then raced into a 4-0 lead with a flurry of blistering forehand winners. There was a big cheer when Kostyuk held serve in the fifth game, but the Ukrainian then handed Andreeva the first set when her backhand hit the net.

Roof open and then closed

The semifinal began at shortly after 3 p.m. amid sunny conditions and an open roof, like on Wednesday when beaten quarterfinalists Aryna Sabalenka and Anna Kalinskaya complained of swirling wind on Chatrier and said the roof should have been closed.

It was closed toward the end of the second set of Thursday’s semi, offering Kostyuk better conditions for her clay-court game. She broke back to trail 4-3, prompting huge applause and loud chants of “Marta, Marta.”

But she dropped her next service game and the comeback ended almost as briefly as it began, along with Kostyuk’s 16-match winning streak on clay.

“Obviously, she (Kostyuk) has had an amazing season. Until this match, she has not lost a match on clay,” Andreeva said. “She is an amazing player and a very tough opponent.”

Mixed doubles

Top-seeded Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy won the mixed doubles final earlier Thursday, beating Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and American Evan King 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.

An Italian is guaranteed to be in Sunday’s men’s Open singles final, with Flavio Cobolli facing fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi on Friday in the first Grand Slam semifinal for both players.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

No handshake and no photo as Andreeva of Russia beats Kostyuk of Ukraine to reach French Open final

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