“Play as aggressive as I want,” Marta Kostyuk is a raging force moving into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open

Marta Kostyuk beat Maria Timofeeva 6-2, 6-1 in round 4 of the 2024 Australian Open.

“Play as aggressive as I want,” Marta Kostyuk is a raging force moving into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open

Marta Kostyuk (Source: IMAGO)

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk has been performing well at the Australian Open this year. She defeated Russia’s Maria Timofeeva today in her fourth-round match with no struggle at all.

She won the match 6-2, 6-1 in straight sets, and the match ended in no time. Unlike Kostyuk’s first three matches in the tournament, all of which went to the third set and were fairly difficult.

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During the on-court interview, Marta Kostyuk said that she felt relieved after registering her first dominating victory in the tournament. The tennis professional further revealed that she did not feel any pressure throughout the match against Timofeeva, and it did not feel like a fourth-round match of a Grand Slam at all. 

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It means a lot. I still can’t process it because on the rain break I told my coach I don’t feel like I’m playing 4th round. I don’t know. It didn’t feel like this. I didn’t feel the pressure today. It’s great to have this kind of match in a grand slam.
She said via AO Presser

That’s not all. Kostyuk is glad that she will now have enough time to prepare for her quarterfinal match. She also said that she was happy to be able to play in her usual aggressive manner because it was not easy against her previous opponents. 

More time to recover. More time to process everything. It was a good match for me. I’m very happy to finally play as aggressive as I want. It was not easy against previous opponents. They’re just different. Different pressure also. I’m just really happy to be in the quarterfinal.
Said the Ukrainian.  

Marta Kostyuk reaches her first Grand Slam quarterfinals 

This has by far been Marta Kostyuk’s best performance in quite a while and it led to her reaching her first-ever quarterfinal in a Grand Slam.

Marta Kostyuk
Marta Kostyuk (Source: IMAGO)

It is quite fitting that it came in the Australian Open, as she also made her debut in this tournament back in 2017. Kostyuk said that the Australian Open is hands down her favorite tournament. 

Yeah I do. I love this tournament. It’s my favorite. My favorite fans. My favorite Ukrainian fans. I’m very happy to be back here every single year. I had some tough years here too, but I held this love in my heart for this place. Finally, it’s good to be in the quarterfinal.
She said

She is set to face her toughest competitor in the tournament yet in the quarterfinals, as she will lock horns against third-seeded Coco Gauff.

The two players have played only one match against each other which was in the 2022 Adelaide International. Coco had won that match and remains the favorite in the quarterfinals. 

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