the boxers mistakenly received last year from the tournament laundry

Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk managed in Madrid to conquer the third and most important tournament of his career. At the end of an impressive run, with only one lost set, in the semi-finals, with Anastasia Potapovathe joy was full, but also nuanced, mature.

He had had an encouraging start to the season with the final in Brisbane, but a difficult period followed due to a torn ligament. Then Marta really flourished in the clay season, winning the title in Rouen and, more brilliantly, triumphing on the red surface in Madrid.

In the speech at the award ceremony, she mentioned the long road she had traveled to get here, and at the press conference afterwards she developed the idea.

Marta Kostyuk: “Achieving those results was like a curse”

“At the beginning of this year I told my team that I finally feel that the achievements of 15 years old don't carry any weight anymore. AI lived for years in this state, everyone expecting great results from me. Achieving those results and being so young were almost like a curse,” she began, harkening back to her time as junior champion at the Australian Open (2017).

Immediately, in 2018, he made his senior debut at Antipozi, with a wild card in the qualifications, he surpassed them, and at 15 and a half years old he advanced to round 3 on the main draw. From there, the spotlight was on her and her early results.

“The fact that I was free of this was incredible. I am very proud of what I achieved when I was 14 or 15 years old. That gave me the freedom to enjoy the sport and play and that's it. It was a very long journey, especially because of the road we took,” continued Kostyuk.

“I grew up being trained by my mother. It's not easy at all to get out of such a relationship and having my mother as the person closest to me in my life. I always call her when I need support or just to talk to her. I also trained with her before the clay season, I thank her for the victories in the last month,” she said.

“I know many difficult stories with parents who train their children. But I'm glad that I came out of it well, being a better player. There was a lot of struggle, there were many difficult moments. Nothing changes for me,” she assured.

I'm a champion in a big tournament, but I want to do the same going forward, keep working and enjoy this journey. Because that's what it's about, not the destination – Marta Kostyuk

Marta Kostyuk, original and accidental talisman: “Last year I got these boxers”

At the award ceremony, he stubbornly opened the bottle of champagne and succeeded. He immediately drank the bubbly liquid, so the taste of victory is “champagne, for sure. It was the first thing I tasted after I won.”

Marta then went a bit down memory lane. “Watching this tournament since I was a kid, remembering the blue clay year, I thought it was awesome. Also, all those who won before me, I didn't think it would ever be possible. It's one of the strongest tournaments of the year, everyone is playing super well. Yes, it tastes good, but I want to enjoy today and that's it,” she said.

His team and Marta took a picture with the trophy, in the picture also appearing a new accessory: a pair of black boxers. What is their funny and meaningful story?

“We have laundry facilities at the tournament. Sometimes things get mixed up, we accidentally take someone else's sock, something always happens. Last year I got these boxers that said “lucky panties”. And Sandra said: “I'm not giving them back”. He kept it. When we won last year, he brought them, they were our talisman“, the Ukrainian told, referring to her coach, Sandra Zaniweska.

“She didn't take them with her this year, but before we got here she drove to her father's house to pick them up and bring them to Madrid. I joked, I said if I win, we have to take a picture with them. I told my husband to put them over his pants but he wouldn't. It's okay, it's OK” Marta Kostyuk concluded with a laugh. The new champion from Madrid.