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Schneider refused to talk about the fight or her feelings about it – causing more criticism than Kostyuk.
“They’re all adults. They know what they’re talking about. They know what’s going on. They have phones. They have Instagram. They have news. They obviously know what’s going on,” Kostyuk said.
“I don’t know how you can sleep at night knowing this is happening and not having anything to say about it.”
Kostyuk has dedicated each of her Roland Garros victories to her country.
Knowing that she’s entitled to a career that means she spends a lot of time away from Ukraine, Kostyuk says how the pain felt by people back home fuels her drive to succeed.
Slovakia’s former world number five Daniela Hantuchova told BBC Radio 5 Live: “That desire comes from having no other option, when you have a war in your backyard and you know sport is the only way out of it.
The geographical spread of this year’s women’s semi-finalists was brought into sharp focus as Schneider faced Polish qualifier Maja Chulinska in the other semi-final.
Each player has their own backstory, but Hantuchova believes there is a common ground that helps players from those countries defy the odds against them.
“You don’t question anything you’re told to get you where you want to go,” Hantuchova said.
“The starting point is creating this incredible hunger and willingness to do whatever it takes.”
That resilience was on display in all four semi-finalists, who took advantage of a wide draw in Paris.
Whoever manages to stay focused better over the next three days will be the Grand Slam champion predicted three weeks ago.
