French Open 2026: French Players Disappoint, Marta Kostyuk Wins Under Emotional Pressure

Paris – May 24, 2026: On the first day of the 2026 French Open Roland Garros, French tennis players experienced mixed emotions. Of the 11 athletes competing, only two advanced to the second round. Among them is 19-year-old Giovanni Mbebi Perical, who lost 5:7, 7:5, 6:1, 6:4 in a fierce match against Serbian player Novak Djokovic. Despite the defeat, the young French player showed an impressive performance and gained valuable experience on the big stage.

Another French player to advance to the second round was 24-year-old Titouan Druge. He defeated Czech player Jakub Mensik 6:3, 6:2, 6:4, demonstrating strong performance during the match. However, the higher temperatures that day posed a certain challenge for both players and spectators.

Beyond the French players, Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk drew attention. This 23-year-old athlete, who has already won titles this season in Rouen and Madrid, continued her successful momentum by defeating Spanish player Oksana Selekhmeteva 6:2, 6:3. Despite the clear score, Kostyuk faced a huge emotional test that day—only hours before the match, she learned about a rocket attack near her parents’ residence in Kiev. “I am incredibly proud of myself today. I think this was one of the toughest matches of my career,” Kostyuk said after the game. “This morning, a building 100 meters from my parents’ house was destroyed. It was a very difficult morning for me… I didn’t know how to cope and spent almost the entire morning crying.”

Despite enduring this personal pressure, Kostyuk found the strength to focus on the match and secured her place in the second round. She emphasized the importance of moving forward and looked up to the people of Ukraine, saying they remain united even in the face of adversity. “I think it’s important to keep going. My greatest role models are the Ukrainians. When I woke up this morning, I saw that life in my country goes on and Ukrainians are still helping those most in need,” she explained.

Thus, the first day of the 2026 French Open was full of complex emotions. On one hand, French players faced challenges, while on the other hand Marta Kostyuk showed resilience and determination beyond the court.