By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday January 23, 2024
For Marta Kostyuk, the excruciating expertise of lacking a really makeable forehand on set level within the opening set of her first Grand Slam quarterfinal was overshadowed by the fortitude she displayed to beat her errors and stay aggressive over the course of her 6-7(6), 7-6(3), 2-6 loss to Coco Gauff on Tuesday in Melbourne.
The 21-year-old might have misplaced on the scoreboard, however she feels she gained the place it issues most, in her thoughts.
“I gained for myself at this time, and I feel it is crucial factor,” she mentioned in her post-match press convention. “It is only the start of the season. Trying ahead for what’s forward. I feel it is only a tennis match, . I am right here to develop, to be taught, to be higher. Yeah, very pleased with myself.”
Of her errors within the opening set, Kostyuk mentioned, in the long run it’s not what decides a match. Everybody makes errors.
“For me, it is a win as a result of I used to be taking part in top-of-the-line ladies on this planet, managed to be nonetheless very shut,” she mentioned. “It feels far but in addition very shut. This entire event I feel is an enormous win for me.”
What an awesome #AusOpen from Marta Kostyuk!
The Ukrainian superior to her 1st main Quarterfinal and is as much as a career-high of No. 28 📈 pic.twitter.com/R9a8hcAlYs
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 23, 2024
The Large Lesson?
Requested what her greatest takeaway from her first journey to a significant quarterfinal was, Kostyuk mentioned the next:
“I feel the primary one is dream huge. It truly is,” she mentioned. “There may be actually no restrict in human potentialities I feel.”
Kostyuk mentioned that in her head she got here to some essential realizations, and added that she is trying ahead to persevering with her journey with a recent cluster of data in her again pocket.
“Additionally considered one of huge classes I had was simply in my head,” she mentioned. “Overcoming sure issues that I could not overcome for a while.”
For the Ukrainian the purpose is to win a Grand Slam sometime, however simply as necessary, she says, resides a balanced and fruitful life.
“It takes quite a lot of work, takes quite a lot of aware residing,” she mentioned. “However I am very completely satisfied to be on this journey and, , simply trying ahead to what else I can be taught. I imply, there are clearly hundreds of thousands and billions of issues that I do not know, however I am simply excited for what they’re.
“It is nearly studying and rising.”
Kostyuk says that she desires one of the best of each worlds, on the court docket and off. “If I’ll get a Grand Slam on the finish of the day, I might be very completely satisfied,” she mentioned. “I simply hope I can embrace it and do different issues on high of this – I imply, the journey is lengthy, however I am right here for it.”
