Roland-Garros 2026 - Oleksandra Oliynykova: “The Silence of the Tour Is Dangerous”

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00][music] >> Okay, I think we'll get started now. Uh Alexandra, obviously not the result you wanted today, but a very strong performance throughout the whole tournament. How pleased were you with your run here?

[00:00:15]>> Uh yeah, um I mean, for me uh this was uh really good debut on the Roland Garros. It's my first Roland Garros ever. I didn't play it even in juniors. So, yeah, to start here with two wins and I think it's it's really good. I have a lot of things to improve in my game. And but I I know this and I will keep working.

[00:00:40]And for sure the conditions here are really hard.

[00:00:43]And uh yeah, after playing um six sets in one day, I'm still physically really tired. And before we start with the questions, I would like to read a short speech.

[00:01:01]I have Yeah, because I have very important statement statement.

[00:01:07]I know that some people disagree with my actions. I know that some people would prefer that I stay silent. But what I do is not about politics. It's about humanity. When people are are being killed, while children are dying, when violence is justified or or celebrated, we cannot pretend that nothing is happening. We cannot look away. We cannot protect we cannot protect those who support or excuse such actions. Our organization was not built by pioneers like Billie Jean King so that money and luxury could become the only values in women tennis.

[00:01:41]They wanted something bigger than that.

[00:01:43]They wanted us to have a voice to inspire others, to make the world better, to be role models for young athletes.

[00:01:52]And being a role model is not about the size of your bank account.

[00:01:56]It's not about expensive watches, private jets, or luxury brands.

[00:02:02]A real role model has the courage to stand against evil. A real role model speaks when it's easier to stay silent.

[00:02:12]A real role model has the determination to act when action is needed. We as players have responsibility that goes beyond tennis because sports should always stand with humanity, and humanity should never be optional. Thank you.

[00:02:30]>> Okay, you're going to take some questions?

[00:02:31]>> Yes. Now we can go with the questions.

[00:02:34]>> Who would like the first question? Just raise your hand and use the microphone.

[00:02:38]Uh Yasmine at the back. Yeah.

[00:02:44]>> Well played today. Um at the end of the match, you know, it felt like the whole time you had a lot of support, and then you stepped in to the court and waved everyone and spent a lot of time with them. Just talk us through your emotions in that moment and what it felt like to have that reaction from the fans.

[00:02:59]>> Uh yeah, I was really happy to to see so many so many fans, and I always love to to spend the time after my match with the people, and yeah, I'm I'm thankful to every person who's coming to support, who's bringing this attention to the sports, and yeah, I I love my fans around the world, and yeah, I mean for me for me it's it's a pleasure to spend the time with them.

[00:03:30]>> Okay, Jonathan.

[00:03:31]>> Um I you made a really powerful statement there. I'm just wondering, have you spoken to other Ukrainian players, and and have they kind of helped you in in in deliver what you've said there? Do they I mean, clearly they agree, I suppose, with with what you said. And have Ukrainian players ever tried talking to Russian players and trying to change their mind and and discuss the issue with them?

[00:03:51]>> Uh if uh can you please repeat the the second question about >> The second bit was well, I wonder if you've ever tried to discuss the issue and discuss the war with Russian players and what kind of response you've you've had if if you have tried that.

[00:04:04]>> Uh, okay. About the other Ukrainian players, uh, we have solidarity.

[00:04:10]All Ukrainian players you see on tour, we have absolutely solidarity.

[00:04:15]Every girl tries to to do what she can and what she feel because we all have different experience, but we all stand with our country.

[00:04:28]And uh the Russian players, um let's be real, they don't want to communicate.

[00:04:39]They are have these horrible beliefs.

[00:04:43]And um yeah.

[00:04:47]That's That's what we have right now on tour. So, um for me, this is something what I think we need to stop to accept in the professional sports.

[00:05:01]And yeah, if if they don't want to hear and they con- continue to spread this propaganda, then there should be some mechanism in our tour to stop this.

[00:05:19]>> Uh, Sonya, just show your hands. Yeah.

[00:05:22]>> Hi. Um I was just I was reading earlier about your dad coming to watch. I wondered what that was like for you to have him here for this tournament.

[00:05:30]>> Uh, about my dad?

[00:05:31]>> Yeah.

[00:05:33]>> Um yeah, I mean, I'm I'm so happy that he came here and that he saw my my first win because last time he saw my match, it was on 35 ITF and yeah, actually I injured my leg in Strasbourg and I was so worried if I will be able to show like some good performance here like the physio they scared me so much that it would became even worse and in the end I played three solid matches and I made third round and yeah, I'm so happy and he told me after every match I'm so proud of you and it's it was so important. Now I don't know when he will see my tournament next time.

[00:06:24]So yeah. I mean what it was for him I think it's maybe the most important what I had on this tournament to to see his his emotion and to hear these words from him.

[00:06:35]>> Okay, Molly you can continue. Molly just yeah.

[00:06:39]>> Um there was some extra security around your court during the match. I wondered if you were aware of that and what you thought of that.

[00:06:46]>> Oh, I didn't know that there was security at >> They looked like they were extra um security personnel just around the court um during the match.

[00:06:54]>> Um No, I didn't know that it was like extra security but in general like I know that organizers of the tournament they feel like some responsibility but me personally I don't feel like I need a security and yeah, like I'm walking here around because I feel like the people who are coming here they have intentions just to watch the match to cheer for their favorite players and the thing that something can happen is really low and me when I will come come home uh I will live under the bombs and having this contrast that here I'm all the time with the security because they scared of this small small chance that something going to happen here when actually the people who are coming here they are friendly to you and they are the fans of tennis and I would love to spend more time with them. And yeah, and still as I told it so many security here and I feel like nobody is talking about the fact that when we all when I will come back home I will be attacked with a drones and rockets. And you know, this is for me this contrast I feel really strange about it.

[00:08:20]But yeah, I didn't know about extra security, but I don't think that it was something what we needed.

[00:08:28]And in the end the atmosphere on the match it was I didn't saw like anyone who was aggressive today, like any single person.

[00:08:40]>> Okay, to Miami and then Elena will talk tonight.

[00:08:42]>> Paul London here. Um, congrats on the tournament, well played. Um, Marta Kostyuk I think before you came on the tour, um, she was probably one of the more outspoken Ukrainian players.

[00:08:51]Um, and she was in here, um, yesterday saying that, um, you know, after so many years she didn't have the energy to continue being so outspoken and and, you know, stating her opinion. I'm curious as what has what's the toll for like for you on this, you know, constantly speaking out and and trying to make your voice heard.

[00:09:09]>> Um >> Is there like an emotional toll?

[00:09:12]>> For me I if I will stay silent if I will get tired, I don't see any sense of being here. I believe that the mission of the sport is to unite people to stay >> [sighs and gasps] >> to stay together for some right things.

[00:09:33]And I mean, how can I get tired when I will come back home?

[00:09:43]I mean, this war it defines my life because my future is in Ukraine and my father, he's coming back to the army.

[00:09:51]My boyfriend, he's a soldier and everything in my life is defined by war and I'm speaking about this situation now, about that we're suffering because of the aggression and that here are people who are who are getting this popularity, influence, money to support the war and their views are dangerous.

[00:10:19]And the silence on tour is dangerous and that's not right, but if I going to be silent that I don't I don't understand what what I'm doing here. And how could I if I will not try to do everything to help Ukraine to win this war my life would be destroyed. The people I love, they would be killed. I will be killed.

[00:10:47]I I don't see any other option for me.

[00:10:52]>> Yeah, I was going to ask about your father. Is he now he has to go back to the army? Does he have to go go back to the front line and and fight?

[00:10:59]>> He has vacation and he has one more week and then he goes back to Ukraine. Yes.

[00:11:06]>> And how hard is it knowing that he's he's there and you're trying to be here playing playing tennis?

[00:11:16]>> Uh for me it's it's very something very hard and emotional, but to you know in some way there is some part to play like for for my country, for my values, but also for him because this is something we made together and this results we made together and that he believes in me, how he believed when I was playing futures because when I was 21, I was ranked 800. Like everybody told me that I will never rise above 500.

[00:11:54]And he he support and his this believing of that I will be a player of Grand Slam level. He was It was somewhere on the level of the fanaticism.

[00:12:09]You know.

[00:12:10]And of course in this situation, um always saying that I'm playing also for him.

[00:12:17]And Yeah, it's I think it's important for both of us.

[00:12:24]>> Uh over there? Yeah, just raise your hand so they can see.

[00:12:28]Put your hand up. Yes, you. Okay, basics of the microphone things. Yeah.

[00:12:32]>> Uh congrats for a great tournament.

[00:12:34]>> Thank you.

[00:12:34]>> And Dayana was here before and she said she didn't know anything you said here in the last couple of days and she didn't want to comment on the war and what are your thoughts on that?

[00:12:45]>> Yes, she don't want to comment on the war because if she will say her opinion, it would be a very big scandal. But I showed you the proofs.

[00:12:54]And the thing is that someone needs to react.

[00:12:59]I want to stop the tour being so hypocritic, like pretending that they cannot do anything because I thought I said in one of my interviews, they have the mechanism.

[00:13:14]You can be sanctioned if you are participating in tournament organized by betting company, but if they have this mechanism, why they will not use this to the tournament organized by war crime sponsor.

[00:13:29]And this person don't want to say anything about it because she know that something she did here is it would be unacceptable from the people who lives in Europe, who believe in some democratic values, who believe in freedom. And she knows it. But she have these fanatic ideas, what she's liking, the propagandist she reads.

[00:13:53]What I proved last time.

[00:13:55]The tournament where she participating.

[00:13:59]She knows what they are doing. She they just have this glorification in Russia that they are above all the world, that they have this like strong leader and everything. And they think that that here all these things is not acceptable, that it's because like just crazy Europeans. And actually, I mean this is what their propaganda saying is saying that their propaganda is full of hate to the France as well, to the Germany, to so many countries. And she don't want to share, but still she's coming here, she's earning this money, publicity, and she's going to go there.

[00:14:41]And she's going to she's going to How to say?

[00:14:49]Yeah, she's going to do what she did, you know. She's going to use all these things like the social part and the fun probably financial part. This part I don't know, but in the participation of propaganda, I proved this.

[00:15:03]So she's going to reinvest it to the things she supports. But if she would say so, of course for her it's easier to know, "Oh, I don't know anything. I don't want to comment this."

[00:15:14]And that's what I told in the previous interview, that's what they are doing.

[00:15:18]Because they know the reaction, but they want to stay here, they want to earn money. They want to be in public.

[00:15:25]They want to use this to support their dictators.

[00:15:29]And that's what they want to do and what we need to stop to accept.

[00:15:36]>> Uh, any more questions?

[00:15:39]>> [music]