Victory over Linette and the test in Kyiv: Marta Kostyuk on the main challenges of the season
This is reported by Great Tennis of Ukraine
Triumph on clay: when the statistics don’t lie
The match against Magda Linette confirmed Marta’s dominance over her opponent — this is the Ukrainian’s third consecutive victory without dropping a single set. However, it was not an easy path. The switch to clay after a hard-court series and an injury proved ‘nerve-wracking’: overnight, the court had become unusually slippery, forcing Marta to adapt literally in the middle of the match. An interesting aspect was the atmosphere in the stands. Thanks to the specific acoustics, Marta turned the pressure from the Polish fans to her advantage: “The Poles were shouting ‘Magda’, but I just heard ‘Marta’. I decided the whole stadium was behind me — and that was brilliant!” she recalls with a smile.
The Kyiv test: tennis under a sky of missiles
But the real shock for the tennis player was her recent training experience in Ukraine. For the first time since the start of the war, Marta was preparing for tournaments in Kyiv to the sound of air raid sirens.
“It was the strangest experience of my life. You hear explosions somewhere far away, but you carry on playing because you have to finish the set. I watched the children, who reacted calmly to the news of 80 drones, and learnt that calmness from them. It’s not something you want to go through again, but it’s the reality for millions of Ukrainians,” Kostyuk admits.
The philosophy of great moments
Today, Marta isn’t just playing for the rankings. Through her foundation, she conveys an important message: “Keep moving towards the big moments.” She is convinced that success on the court depends on the ability not to listen to your fears and not to look too far into the future, but simply to do your job well here and now.
Marta’s victory is an important signal for the whole team, particularly for Elina Svitolina, as starting a match from a leading position is a huge psychological advantage. New tournaments lie ahead, but with such inner strength, Marta Kostyuk is ready for any challenge, even if they sound like yet another siren.
