Andreeva advances to French Open final amid tense atmosphere
The 19-year-old becomes the youngest women’s singles Grand Slam finalist since Coco Gauff in 2022, setting up a Saturday showdown against either Diana Shnaider or Maja Chwalinska.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva has secured her first Grand Slam final at the 2026 French Open, defeating Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 19-year-old converted her first match point while serving for the match, concluding a contest that was marked by a palpable tension between the two competitors. Andreeva is the youngest women’s singles Grand Slam finalist since Coco Gauff at the 2022 French Open and the first player born since 2005 to reach a major singles final.
The atmosphere surrounding the match reflected the broader geopolitical context, with Kostyuk and her countrywoman Oleksandra Oliynykova having spoken out during the tournament regarding the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This tension was visible in the pre-match protocols, where the players took separate photos on opposite sides of the net rather than posing together. Following the match, there was no handshake, consistent with the stance taken by Ukrainian players since February 2022.
Andreeva began strongly, saving three break points in her opening service game before establishing control. Despite the blustery conditions, Andreeva was solid from the baseline and stubborn in defence, committing far fewer unforced errors (22) than her opponent (34). Kostyuk, who had been in-form on the WTA Tour with an unrivalled 17-match unbeaten streak on clay this season, was unable to hit the heights of her emotional all-Ukrainian quarter-final against Elina Svitolina.
Andreeva has amassed 35 overall wins and 21 clay-court wins in 2026, surpassing Kostyuk’s record. Following the shock exit of world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday, eighth seed Andreeva will believe this is her time after overcoming an opponent who had beaten her in both their previous meetings earlier in the year. Andreeva dropped only one set across her six victories so far, having lost only to Marina Bassols Ribera in a comeback second-round match.
The 19-year-old will await either compatriot Diana Shnaider, the 25th seed, or Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in Saturday’s final. Andreeva is the fourth-youngest woman to reach the Roland Garros showpiece in the past 30 years, after Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters, and Coco Gauff. Should she prevail, she would become the third-youngest first-time Grand Slam champion this century, after Maria Sharapova and Emma Raducanu.
Reflecting on the victory, Andreeva admitted to significant nerves but credited her mindset for the win. "I am still very, very nervous. I was nervous coming into this match," she said. "Until this match, she has not lost a match on clay. She is an amazing player and a very tough opponent, and I am super happy with the way I played today." She added that accepting everything on court and fighting to give her best was key to securing the result.
