“It was almost like a curse”: Marta Kostyuk on finally letting go of the 15-year-old prodigy
After winning her first WTA 1000 title in Madrid, Marta Kostyuk opens up about the weight of being a teenage prodigy, leaving her mother’s coaching, and arriving, now aged 23, on her own terms.
Marta Kostyuk, Madrid 2026 | © Laurent Layris / PsNewz
Marta Kostyuk has been on the radar for so long it’s easy to forget she is only 23. She broke through as a 14-year-old, won her first WTA match at the Australian Open at 15, and has spent the better part of a decade carrying the expectations that came with it. On Sunday in Madrid, she lifted her first WTA 1000 title, and, in her press conference afterwards, made clear she had finally put down a weight she had been carrying since her teens.
Marta, take us back to the match itself: both sets were on a knife edge.
Kostyuk: Both sets were super close. I had break points down when I was serving for the set, and then she had two set points. It could have gone any way, but I’m very happy to finish in two sets. I wanted to enjoy this match as much as possible, no matter the outcome, and that’s the goal I achieved. Winning it is just a bonus.
What does this trophy taste like?
Kostyuk: Like champagne, for sure. That was the first thing I tasted after I won.
You grew up watching this tournament. Does it feel real yet?
Kostyuk: Watching this tournament when I was a kid, and remembering the year it was on blue clay, was mind-blowing. Looking at all the people who have won it before me, I would never have thought that this could be possible. It’s one of the strongest tournaments of the year, and everyone plays super good, especially right now. So it definitely tastes good. But I just want to enjoy this today, and that’s it.
You said it has taken a long time to get here. What’s changed?
Kostyuk: At the beginning of this year, I told my team that I finally feel the achievements I had when I was 15 don’t have a weight on me anymore. I was living for many years in that state of everyone expecting big results from me, almost winning. Having such good results, being so young, was almost like a curse. When I freed myself from that, it was incredible. And I’m very proud of myself that I managed to achieve all of that when I was 14 and 15. That gave me the freedom to enjoy this sport and just play it.
I got out on the other side: better person, better player. It definitely took a lot of struggling and a lot of difficult moments.
That’s a striking word – “curse”. How would you describe the road that got you here?
Kostyuk: It’s an incredibly long journey, especially with the road I took. I was growing up being coached by my mom. It’s never easy to come out of this relationship. I know a lot of difficult stories when parents are coaching their kids. I’m happy I got out on the other side: better person, better player. It definitely took a lot of struggling and a lot of difficult moments.
What’s your relationship with your mother like now?
Kostyuk: She is the closest person in my life. I always call her when I need support, or when I just want to talk to her. I actually had a short training camp with her before clay-court season. So I definitely should thank her for all the wins I’ve had in the past months.
This title takes you into the world’s top 15. What does the ranking mean to you right now?
Kostyuk: I don’t focus on the rankings. My goal – not even my goal, but… – I would be very happy if I finished the clay-court season in the top 20. I didn’t think about a specific number. Ranking is just a consequence of what you do on the court. I still don’t think about it. Probably I’ll get a bit better draws, but in the end all the players are super solid and really good. I just want to keep working and enjoying.
Does winning a WTA 1000 change how you see yourself as a player?
Kostyuk: Almost nothing changes. I’m a Masters champion right now, but I just want to keep doing the same thing. Keep working, keep enjoying this journey. Because it’s about the journey, it’s not about the destination.
