Marta Kostyuk Explains Madrid Open Breakthrough After Win against Jessica Pegula: “It took me Seven Years”

Marta Kostyuk claimed her second consecutive win over Jessica Pegula on tour this season.

Marta Kostyuk Explains Madrid Open Breakthrough After Win against Jessica Pegula: “It took me Seven Years”

Marta Kostyuk and Jessica Pegula (via X/The Tennis Letter)

Marta Kostyuk claimed her fourth top 10 win of the season over Jessica Pegula at the Madrid Open in the third round. The Ukrainian star, who is now on a seven-match clay-court winning streak following her title triumph at the Rouen Open earlier this month, has framed her victory over Pegula as the result of long adaptation to the tournament’s surface.

The conditions at the Madrid Open have long been considered amongst the most complex on the clay season calendar. With the altitude and surface dynamics, it requires specific adjustment and a long adaptation process. Kostyuk’s progression at the event reflects a gradual accumulation of knowledge rather than immediate adaptation.

Against Pegula, Kostyuk was not the favorite to win the match, as the American star had won the Charleston Open (the first clay-court tournament on the women’s circuit). Also, Pegula has been a more consistent player on tour this season, but her performance in Madrid has been worrying. Last year, she didn’t win a singles match at the Spanish capital.

However, this season in Madrid, she defeated British No.1 Katie Boulter in the second round before facing Kostyuk. The American star struggled to find her rhythm on the court, which Kostyuk exploited. Kostyuk claimed the victory 6-1, 6-4, which is her second win over Pegula this season.

She defeated Pegula 6-0, 6-3 in the semi-finals of the Brisbane International in January. Despite a win over Pegula in Madrid, Kostyuk is not carried away by the fact that her hard work on clay has begun to pay off. During her post-match press conference, she admitted that the victory is attributed to her smooth rhythm on clay this season:

I think I had a really good match with her in Brisbane and learned a lot from that. The conditions in Madrid are really tricky. It took me seven years to learn how to play here, so I’m happy to have that experience behind me. The tactics definitely played a role today. I’m happy with how I managed to execute the things I planned to do, and it worked. I just try to stick to the plan. Jessica is an unbelievable player, very solid.

Kostyuk claimed her first title of the season at the Rouen Open after beating Yulia Putintseva in the final. She will face American star Caty McNally, who stunned Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko in straight sets in the second round. McNally then went on to defeat Katerina Siniakova in the third round.

Marta Kostyuk opens up on changes to her game since returning from injury

Marta Kostyuk kicked off the year with a superb run at the Brisbane International, where she reached the final before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. At the Australian Open, there were expectations she was going to have another good run, but the Ukrainian tore her ligament during her first-round defeat against Elsa Jacquemot.

Marta Kostyuk (2)
Marta Kostyuk (Image via X/Kostyuk Fan)

She returned to the court at the Sunshine Double, but she was not at her best form yet. It was in Rouen, that she gave her best performance of the season. During the aforementioned press conference, the 26th seed admitted that she has made certain changes in her game since the Brisbane International:

I found my tennis and how I want to play in Brisbane, but earlier in my career everything cost me too much energy. I was investing too much emotionally and physically. I had to find a balance to sustain my level, especially with longer seasons and tournaments. If I want to maintain this level, I need to manage my energy, both physically and mentally.

Kostyuk reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open last year for the first time in her career. She also got to the round of 16 of the Italian Open before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. This season, she’s seeking to do better on clay, particularly in the WTA 1000 tournaments ahead of the French Open.

Also Read: Elena Rybakina Vents Her Frustration At Line-Calling System Despite Win at the Madrid Open