Marta Kostyuk accused Russian players of hiding behind silence over the war in Ukraine, saying after ⁠four years of conflict they had shown “whose side they are on”, as she reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open.

The 23-year-old beat fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-3 ⁠2-6 6-2 in an emotional quarterfinal on Tuesday, played hours after another night of Russian strikes on Kyiv, then launched a scathing attack on Russian players who continue to avoid publicly condemning the war.

Kostyuk, who will next face Russian Mirra Andreeva, said she no longer accepts the argument that Russian athletes could remain ‌silent because of possible repercussions at home.

“There is a way if you don’t agree,” Kostyuk told reporters. “I know some people who have left Russia the moment the war began, who sold all their business, who left everything behind because they just don’t agree with what their country is doing to other people.”

She cited fellow player Daria Kasatkina, who switched her allegiance from Russia to Australia last year, as an example of someone who had publicly spoken out ⁠despite pressure on her family.

“I don’t think she lives in Russia ⁠anyways, but the majority of players don’t live in Russia,” Kostyuk said. “There is nothing that’s stopping you if this is something you don’t believe in.

“After four years, I think they’ve made it very clear whose side they are on.”

Kostyuk’s comments ⁠came after she was asked about remarks from Russian players, including Diana Shnaider and Andreeva, who have previously said they focus only on the ⁠tennis ball and avoid political discussion.

“They are all grown-ups. They ⁠know what they’re talking about. They know what’s going on. They have phones. They have Instagram. They have news,” Kostyuk said.

“I wish there was some more clear stance on what’s going on, especially when your country is killing other people.”

Earlier, the ‌Ukrainian dedicated her victory to “the Ukrainian people” after revealing she had woken up to news of another deadly night of bombings before checking on her family’s safety.

Kostyuk said representing Ukraine had become ‌more ‌important than the results themselves.

“With everything that’s happening, for me being here is a real blessing, and I don’t think about winning,” she said. “I’m here to represent Ukraine and to enjoy.”

[Aljazeera]

New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland have requested a meeting with Cricket Australia (CA) for Thursday to discuss the fallout from Cricket Victoria’s announcement about the merger of Melbourne Stars and Renegades, while the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) says the development has created “confusion, uncertainty and anxiety” among the players and believes the game is not unified on a way forward for BBL privatisation.

The revelations on Tuesday that Cricket Victoria plans to merge Stars and Renegades under a new name and colours for the upcoming BBL, while selling off the second BBL license entirely to a private owner, has caused chaos and confusion across Australian cricket. ESPNcricinfo understands that NSW are particularly angered by the situation and held a call with SA and Queensland, the other two states with varying concerns over privatisation, to discuss the issue on Wednesday before requesting an unscheduled meeting with CA on Thursday.

The countdown for the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League began on Monday with the player draft where participation of players from 12 countries was confirmed. The event kicked off with the platinum local round, with the four-time champions, Jaffna Kings, picking Avishka Fernando as their first pick, while other teams went for fast bowlers and spinners in the first round, including Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Maheesh Theekshana and Charith Asalanka.

With overseas rounds, the Afghan contingent grew, with Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz picked in the platinum round by Colombo Kaps, Dambulla Sixers, and Kandy Royals, respectively, while Ibrahim Zadran joined his countrymen in the league in the gold round after being picked by Jaffna Kings.

Colombo Kaps strengthened their batting further with the signings of Sadeera Samarawickrama and Janith Liyanage, joining the likes of Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis and the Aussie Ben McDermott as the pre-signed players, strengthening their middle-order with the vision of their head coach and former Sri Lankan batter Chamara Kapugedera. They also snapped 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Sharujan Shanmuganathan in the emerging round.

Pakistan pacer Shahnawaz Dahani and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris were also picked by Kaps adding variety to their squad.

While Dambulla Sixers bolstered their fast bowling attack with two overseas signings in Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr. and Shadley van Schalkwyk in platinum, gold and associate star rounds, respectively, joining Dushmantha Chameera from the pre-signed players, forming a fast-bowling trio to go along with the spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Akila Dananjaya, as well as Ramesh Mendis, featuring in the team coached by Rangana Herath.

The Sixers will also make use of the vast experience of Gulbadin Naib and the youthful batting talent of South African Dian Forrester, who has already made two trips to the subcontinent in the previous few months.

All-rounder Dasun Shanaka-led Galle Gallants centred their squad around all-rounders, with Chamika Karunaratne joining the skipper in their ranks. They also bought Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mohammad Nawaz as spin-bowling all-rounders, adding two exciting overseas options.

The Galle Gallants added some much-needed depth to their squad with UAE left-arm spinner Haider Ali, Pakistan left-arm pacer Akif Javed and Australia wicketkeeper batter Sam Harper.

While the pre-signed players of Jaffna Kings were mostly from the middle-order and bowling departments, their draft picks of Avishka Fernando, Kamil Mishara and Ibrahim Zadran ensured they could check all the boxes, including the top-order. Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichanne, South African pacer Lizaad Williams and exciting Nepal all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee will call Jaffna their home for LPL 2026.

Kandy Royals, led by two iconic Sri Lankan all-rounders as the pre-signed local picks in Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga, further added two overseas all-rounders in the pre-signings in the shape of Moeen Ali and Vijay Shankar, while focusing on specialists in the draft like Kusal Perera and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for the top order, with the likes of Nuwan Thushara and Asitha Fernando in the fast bowling department.

Royals’ overseas options also include Australian left-arm pacer Daniel Sams, Afghan wrist-spinner Zahir Khan and New Zealand middle-order batter Dale Phillips while Scottish all-rounder Brandon McMullen is their Associate Star.