Marta Kostyuk’s first-round win at the French Open became one of her toughest matches after she found out beforehand that a missile almost hit her parents’ home in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Kostyuk fought back tears after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 on Court Simonne-Mathieu on the opening day of the clay-court Grand Slam at Roland Garros in Paris.<\/p>\n
“I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career,” the 15th-seeded Kostyuk said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“This morning, 100 metres away from my parents’ house, the missile destroyed the building and it was a very difficult morning for me \u2026 I didn’t know how I would handle it, I’ve been crying part of the morning.”<\/p>\n
Kostyuk received a message at 8am and could not stop thinking what could have happened.<\/p>\n
“I felt sick,” she said. “If it was 100m closer, I probably wouldn’t have a mum and a sister today.”<\/p>\n
Her mother, sister and great aunt were in the house at the time of the strike, she said, among 17 people in total, so her relief was enormous that no-one was injured.<\/p>\n
“I don’t want to think what I would do if something worse happened, but I knew that this is the day to go out and play,” she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It didn’t cross my mind today that I shouldn’t go out because, you know, at the end of the day, everyone is alive.”<\/p>\n
After the match, she thanked fans and received an ovation. Then she explained how she found the emotional and mental resources to play.<\/p>\n
“I think it’s important to keep going. My biggest example is Ukrainian people, I woke up in the morning today and …,” the 23-year-old Kostyuk said, becoming tearful before repeating and finishing the sentence.<\/p>\n
“I looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their life, kept helping people who are in need.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I knew a lot of Ukrainian flags would be here today and a lot of Ukrainian people would come out, support. My friends from Ukraine came as well.”<\/p>\n
She next plays unseeded American Katie Volynets and Kostyuk’s countrywoman Elina Svitolina \u2014 a recent winner at the Italian Open in Rome \u2014 faces Anna Bondar on Monday.<\/p>\n
The heat is on<\/p>\n
High temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius contributed to Frenchman Arthur Gea taking an emergency bathroom break early into his first-round loss to number 13 Karen Khachanov on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.<\/p>\n
Spectators folded newspapers in half and fanned themselves to keep cool as players attempted to stay hydrated.<\/p>\n