Ukrainian world number 15 Marta Kostyuk dedicated her first-round victory at the French Open to her home country following overnight Russian missile strikes near her parents’ home in Kyiv.

The 23-year-old secured a 6-2 6-3 win over Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva on the same morning a large-scale wave of attacks hit the Ukrainian capital.

Four people were killed and at least 83 individuals were injured across the eastern European nation during the overnight drone and missile bombardment.

Following her straight-sets triumph at Roland Garros, the emotional victor became tearful during her on-court interview.

Emotional dedication to her homeland

Addressing the supportive Parisian crowd, the Kyiv native revealed the terrifying proximity of the attacks to her family.

“This morning, 100 metres away from my parent’s house, a missile destroyed the building,” she said.
“It was a very difficult morning for me, I didn’t know how this match would turn out for me or how I would handle it.”
“I have been crying this morning. I don’t want to talk about myself today.”
“All my heart and all my thoughts go to the people of Ukraine today.”

Standing firm on pre-match policies

In accordance with a long-standing policy among Ukrainian athletes, the world number 15 did not shake hands with her opponent at the net.

Selekhmeteva was competing in her first match under the Spanish flag after recently switching her national sporting allegiance.

The outspoken critic of the 2022 invasion drew strength from the resilience of her compatriots back home.

“I woke up this morning and looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their lives, kept helping people who are in need,” Kostyuk added.
“I’m incredibly proud of myself. I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career.”

Formidable clay-court momentum continues

The talented right-hander has enjoyed a stellar season on the red dirt, remaining unbeaten on the surface during her current campaign.

Only teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva has claimed more victories on clay across the WTA Tour this year than the in-form Ukrainian.

She will next face either American Katie Volynets or French hopeful Clara Burel as she seeks to advance past the second round in Paris.

American Emma Navarro has claimed her first title in over a year by defeating top seed Victoria Mboko 6-0 5-7 6-2 at the Strasbourg Open.

The 25-year-old former world number eight produced a superb performance to overcome her teenage Canadian opponent and secure her third career WTA trophy.

It also marks a maiden tournament victory on clay for the American.

Having recently struggled with illness that forced her withdrawal from several events, this triumph provides a timely boost before the French Open begins on Sunday.

Navarro, who started the week ranked 39th in the world, expressed relief at her return to the winner’s circle.

“It’s kind of been a little bit of a rocky year and a half or so, but I think we put in a lot of really good work,” she said.

Tien and Buse claim dramatic ATP victories

Elsewhere, there was further success for the United States at the Geneva Open as Learner Tien secured the second ATP title of his career.

The 20-year-old fought back to beat Argentina’s Mariano Navone 3-6 6-3 7-5 in a gripping final.

However, Tommy Paul was unable to make it an American hat-trick of weekend titles after suffering a shock defeat in the Hamburg Open final.

Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse stunned the sixth seed 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-3 following a gruelling battle that lasted more than three hours.

The historic victory means Buse becomes the first player from Peru to win an ATP Tour title since Luis Horna triumphed at Vina del Mar in 2007.

Marcinko secures maiden WTA crown

On the WTA Tour, Croatia’s Petra Marcinko celebrated the first senior title of her career at the Morocco Open.

The world number 76 was leading 6-2 3-0 after just 46 minutes when Ukrainian opponent Anhelina Kalinina was forced to retire from the contest.

British number one Emma Raducanu and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic headline the opening day of the French Open in Paris this Sunday.

The main draw gets under way on the iconic clay courts of Roland Garros, featuring a host of top seeds and home favourites.

Raducanu is scheduled to play her first-round match on Court 12 against Argentina’s Solana Sierra at approximately 14:00 BST.

The 2021 US Open champion is hoping to make a strong start following a disrupted build-up during the recent clay-court swing.

Djokovic begins historic title defence

In the evening session, the defending men’s champion will step onto Court Philippe-Chatrier from 19:15 BST.

The Serbian great faces a tricky opening test against French hopeful Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in front of a heavily partisan crowd.

He is hunting for a fourth Roland Garros crown and a historic record-extending 25th major championship overall.

British interest and top seeds in action

Fellow Briton Fran Jones also features on the opening Sunday schedule, taking to Court 14 from midday.

The rising Yorkshire star faces a formidable challenge against Brazilian seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Elsewhere, fourth seed Alexander Zverev opens his tournament against home player Benjamin Bonzi on the main show court.

Selected Sunday Order of Play

Play officially begins at 10:00 BST on the outside courts and 11:00 BST on Philippe-Chatrier.

Novak Djokovic has confirmed he will not participate in a player-led media boycott at the French Open regarding prize money, despite fully supporting demands for a fairer revenue split.

Several prominent figures across the men’s and women’s draws are planning to exit pre-tournament press conferences early at Roland Garros.

Competitors are currently set to receive 14.9% of the tournament’s overall revenue, a figure that has sparked widespread dissatisfaction and collective action.

Advocating for lower-ranked players

The 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed he was entirely unaware of the planned protest before arriving in Paris.

“I was not part of the process, plan or decision-making, so I’m not part of that at all and I can’t comment on that,” he said.

However, the Serbian veteran stressed that he remains deeply committed to fighting for better financial conditions across the professional circuit.

“What I can keep doing is advocating for players, like I always did, and not only the top players, but the lower-ranked as well.”

He added that fans often forget how small the number of people who actually make a living from the sport truly is.

Warnings of a divided sport

Drawing parallels with the recent civil war in professional golf, the former world number one urged his peers to find a unified voice.

“Let’s also learn from golf and try to be a bit more united in finding a better structure and a better future for our sport,” he added.

Italian star Jannik Sinner is reportedly among the major names set to curtail media duties during the clay-court major.

Meanwhile, high-profile figures such as Aryna Sabalenka are already taking action, with the Belarusian ending her scheduled press conference early on Friday.

“It’s not your decision and it’s not about you, we’re just trying to fight for a fair percentage,” she told reporters.

Filipino tennis player Alex Eala is transforming the sporting landscape of her home nation as she celebrates her 21st birthday following a remarkable rise to number 29 in the world rankings.

The former US Open junior champion has become a trailblazer in a country traditionally dominated by boxing, basketball and weightlifting.

She recently reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Miami Open, securing spectacular victories against Madison Keys and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

Breaking new ground on the WTA Tour

The Manila-born athlete boasts a formidable 18-12 win-loss record this season.

Her impressive hard-court form includes a milestone maiden Grand Slam main-draw victory over Clara Tauson at the US Open.

Recent runs to the last 16 at prominent WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami have further cemented her status among the sport’s elite.

During this outstanding sequence, the 21-year-old secured statement wins over top-10 mainstays Jasmine Paolini and Coco Gauff.

Inspiring a national sporting shift

The Philippines possesses a rich athletic heritage, spearheaded by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Olympic gold medallists Hidilyn Diaz and Carlos Yulo.

However, professional tennis has historically remained on the fringes of Filipino sporting culture.

The trailblazing youngster is determined to alter that perception by competing consistently at the pinnacle of the women’s game.

“It’s so nice to see that I’m able to pave the way, and I’m able to expose the Philippines to this international stage.”

She delivered those remarks after becoming the first Filipina to compete in the main draw at Flushing Meadows.

“The only thing I can give back to my country is to inspire.”

This historic exposure is already generating real momentum for aspiring racket-sport athletes across the Southeast Asian archipelago.

Emma Raducanu has reunited with coach Andrew Richardson, nearly five years after the pair famously won the US Open title together in New York.

The 23-year-old had been without a permanent mentor since splitting with Spaniard Francisco Roig in January.

She recently spent a week training alongside Richardson at the Ferrer Tennis Academy in Spain before confirming the long-term appointment.

No regrets over initial departure

The British star parted ways with her childhood mentor immediately after her historic Grand Slam triumph to seek a coach with top-level WTA experience.

This decision led to a succession of short-term appointments, beginning with Torben Beltz, which drew frequent criticism from tennis pundits.

However, the former British number one insists she does not view their initial separation as a mistake.

“I think at that time it was very difficult to say I made a mistake, because in my life everything changed upside down,” she said.

“I didn’t really think I had the most handle over the situation in the sense that I was being pulled left and right.”

The major champion admitted that the rapid changes in her career taught her the immense value of having trusted and familiar figures in her inner circle.

A familiar face in the coaching box

Returning to familiar roots has become a recurring theme for the world-renowned athlete.

She has recently spent time working alongside other former childhood coaches, including Nick Cavaday, Mark Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue.

“I think the fact also that he’s known me since I was very young, and I know that he’s always just wanted the best for me,” she added.

“When you have known someone also before I had any success, it does make a little bit of a difference, too.”

The former world number 10 praised Richardson for his consistent and solid demeanour, noting that he is rarely unsettled by poor results.

Initiating the reunion

The decision to rehire the former British Davis Cup player was initiated entirely by the player herself.

She reached out via a casual text message to reopen the lines of communication.

“We stayed in touch, but it was just a text, and I was, like, ‘Heyyy’,” she revealed.

“When you get a text from me with heyyy with three ys, just know something is cooking.”

While acutely aware of the external judgement regarding her past choices, the highly-rated star is now entirely focused on moving forward with a trusted confidant by her side.

Novak Djokovic will look to capitalise on Carlos Alcaraz’s absence at the French Open to challenge Jannik Sinner for a record 25th Grand Slam title.

The 24-time major champion remains a significant threat at Roland Garros despite recent struggles with form and fitness.

Defending the sport’s recent youth movement currently falls solely on Sinner, with Alcaraz ruled out of the entire clay and grass-court seasons due to a troubling wrist injury.

Other rising stars, including Jack Draper and Holger Rune, are also missing from the Parisian dirt.

Physical doubts surround the Serbian veteran

The 38-year-old has endured an uninspiring preparation for the second major of the year.

He suffered a three-set defeat to qualifier Dino Prizmic in Rome during his only clay-court appearance of 2025 so far.

However, the former world number one has a proven track record of finding hidden physical reserves when competing over five sets.

Last season, he recovered from early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros.

A prime opportunity for a 25th major

Alcaraz’s untimely injury removes a significant psychological and physical barrier for the Belgrade native.

During the Australian Open in January, he expended immense energy defeating Sinner in a five-set semi-final before falling to the Spaniard in the final.

This summer, contenders will only need to overcome one half of the dominant pair who have claimed the last nine grand slam titles.

With the draw significantly altered, the pursuit of an unprecedented 25th major championship looks increasingly plausible for the sport’s most dogged competitor.

Wimbledon board member Tim Henman will hold emergency talks with players at the French Open to prevent a potential Grand Slam boycott over prize money disputes.

Professional competitors have threatened to withdraw from major tournaments in a row concerning revenue distribution, welfare provisions and pension schemes.

The former British number one will travel to Roland Garros next week in an attempt to calm the escalating situation.

Revenue gap fuels anger

Currently, the four majors allocate roughly 15 per cent of their total revenue to player prize funds.

In contrast, ATP and WTA 1000 Masters events distribute 22 per cent of their income back to the athletes.

A proposed joint meeting between player representatives and Grand Slam officials to address this disparity at Indian Wells collapsed in March.

Media protests begin in Paris

Consequently, tennis stars are already staging a media protest at the ongoing tournament in the French capital.

Competitors are strictly limiting their pre-tournament press conferences to 15 minutes and denying extra access to major broadcast partners.

This strategy allows the athletes to demonstrate solidarity without incurring immediate financial penalties from the sport’s governing bodies.

Sabalenka warns of future strikes

Henman recently met with members of the WTA Players’ Council at the Italian Open alongside Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker.

High-profile names have publicly supported drastic action if the Grand Slam revenue gap is not addressed soon.

Current world number two Aryna Sabalenka is among those who have openly floated the idea of a future strike.

Without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment.

I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage. I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights.

Aryna Sabalenka

New player council proposed

Officials from the All England Club are desperately seeking a resolution during the clay-court major.

The 49-year-old former semi-finalist is expected to play a leading role in establishing a new player council to bridge the divide.

Wimbledon’s player relations director Laura Robson has also joined the delegation attempting to broker peace before the grass-court season begins.