![]() ![]() “ I want my tennis legacy to be that I used every opportunity I had in the best possible way, like, that I know that I didn’t waste any chances.” Experts are saying. Kostyuk, on seeing fellow teens Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez reach the 2021 US Open final. It was very inspirational because it gave me strength and helped me realise that I can do the same thing.” It just didn’t feel very nice to watch them playing a final. I’m trying to be the best I can be, so I obviously want to be where they are, and I’m sure it’s going to happen soon. “I have to be honest… It was a bit rough for me to watch both of their runs. It's a very special moment ?" | #ATXOpen /RKtWoGPKdP "I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine. “I want to dedicate this title to Ukraine, and to all the people who are fighting and dying right now,” she said during the Austin trophy presentation. Kostyuk has for months declined to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents, a policy she maintained after beating Russia’s Varvara Gracheva in the Austin final. She took part in the Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition ahead of AO 2023, an event raising funds for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by UNICEF Australia and Global Giving. Kostyuk is also using her growing profile and platform to oppose the war in her homeland. Her ability to move into the court and finish at net – both with conventional and drive volleys – points to a player with a high tennis IQ, multiple weapons, versatility and adaptability. Kostyuk hit every stroke imaginable en route to the Austin title, all captured in this highlight reel. The Ukrainian is an exceptional mover as well as an inventive shotmaker, a combination that makes her one of the more watchable players on tour. Kostyuk may no longer celebrate titles with acrobatic backflips as she did early in her career, but this athleticism still clearly shines through in her game. ![]() Kostyuk had previously reached four tour-level semifinals without advancing further.īut that changed this month in Austin, where she went all the way to her first WTA title – a result helping her crack the world’s top 40. Kostyuk certainly hasn’t stopped in 2023, winning 15 of 21 matches and beating quality opponents such as Elena Rbyakina, Danielle Collins and Amanda Anisimova. “It left a footprint on my brain, and was motivating me not to stop,” she said of watching Raducanu complete that extraordinary run in New York. ![]() Then there was her 57-minute, 6-2 6-1 thrashing of reigning US Open Emma Raducanu in late 2021 in Romania. The biggest of those was 12th seed Garbine Muguruza in the first round at Roland Garros, kick-starting a run to the fourth round – her best Grand Slam result so far. She truly turned a corner in 2021, cracking the top 50, going deeper more often at WTA-level events, and beating bigger names. Coming back from such a big fall, you really realise … I was taking things for granted.” “Now I realise that I need to put so much work in it. It's like I was the first one (of my age group) who broke through, and I was the first one who fell,” Kostyuk told WTA Insider in Madrid 2019. “I had this pressure last year and I went too crazy about that. Six months later, she was barely inside the top 300. Her game is more suited to hard courts than Navarro’s, and I think the American’s brand of tennis could play into her hands.But then came the fall. Frech’s year has been far from perfect, and lately especially she has struggled for wins. But the American is usually more comfortable on clay. Navarro is the higher ranked player and has played some good tennis at times this year. That does not inspire much confidence ahead of her clash with Emma Navarro, who is enjoying the best season of her career and will surely have the crowd right behind her. Magdalena Frech looked sharp in the qualifying at the WTA Cleveland Open, but wasn’t able to back that up in the main dra, losing 1-6 3-6 to Jasmine Paolini. Prediction: Muchova in 2 Magdalena Frech vs Emma Navarro Against someone like Hunter, she should cruise. And she brings her best tennis to the biggest occasions. Muchova isn’t often appreciated, but she’s one of the best players in the world. ![]()
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