The Belarusian had to answer embarrassing questions from a journalist after her victory in the second round. The world number 2 could dislodge Iga Swiatek from the throne of the WTA at the end of the Parisian fortnight.
The shadow of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia still hangs over the tennis circuit and the relations between Ukrainian players on one side and Belarusians on the other. In the first round, Ukraine's Kostyuk refused to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka.