PARIS -- Marta Kostyuk will make history Thursday when she becomes the first Ukrainian woman to play in the semifinals at the French Open. A teenage prodigy who made the third round of the Australian Open at just 15 years of age, she struggled with the pressure for many years. But after winning titles in Rouen and Madrid this year, she goes into her clash with Russian Mirra Andreeva on a 17-match winning streak on clay. Here's how she turned herself into a contender for the sport's biggest prizes.
Freeing herself of expectation
Kostyuk was a prodigious talent as a junior. She won the junior Australian Open title at the age of 14, the second-youngest player ever to do so, and the following year, she burst onto the global scene by qualifying for the main draw in Melbourne and reaching the third round.
At 15, expectations were immense and, unsurprisingly, they were hard to handle. It took her almost three years to win her next Grand Slam match. And in the majors in general, she struggled, failing to make it past the fourth round until the 2024 Australian Open, where she made what was, until this year's Roland Garros, her only slam quarterfinal.
In 2026, she said she has given herself space to breathe. "I'm enjoying more, just creating points, dealing with challenges, learning how to navigate the difficult situations in the matches," she said. "I have been doing it well, so happy with that."
Hiring Sandra Zaniewska as coach
Like many young players, Kostyuk's mother played a massive role in her development. A former professional who played Fed Cup for Ukraine, Talina Beiko guided Marta through to the professional ranks. But navigating that fine line between being coach and mother is never easy, and sometimes Kostyuk would worry about what her mother might think about her performances.
In August 2023, she decided to forge a new path. She hired Sandra Zaniewska, a former pro from Poland, and together they set about adding consistency and working on her mental game. Zaniewska was patient and understanding, focusing on "every piece of the puzzle" and letting her know that she was 100% behind her, in everything.
"I think she deserves all [the praise] because she really gave her soul for this work with me," Kostyuk said this week. "She changed me so much as a person. We've both grown together in this working relationship. For sure, I definitely wouldn't be here without her."
CUE THE BACKFLIP 🤩@marta_kostyuk races to her FIRST career WTA 1000 title with a straight sets win over Andreeva!#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/sRIJwo8u9M
— wta (@WTA) May 2, 2026
Adding consistency to her athleticism and shotmaking
Kostyuk has always been a great all-around athlete, even showing off a back handspring when she won in Madrid -- something she learned during seven years of acrobatics training. Her court coverage at Roland Garros this year seems to have gone to another level, especially side to side, retrieving balls that would have been winners against most others.
She continues to hit a stack of winners -- her total of 172 in five matches here is the fourth-best overall -- but she is also far more consistent than in the past.
"I'm the most consistent I have ever been in my career," she said. "Technically, I'm still [an] underdog. We will see. Maybe a lot of things will change after this tournament."
Making smart decisions
That goes for on and off the court. Kostyuk's success on clay this year began in Rouen, a tournament Zaniewska wanted her to play, even though it was a WTA 250 event in the same week as a WTA 500 in Stuttgart, which offered more money and ranking points. Zaniewska figured that it was important Kostyuk stay in a tournament for as long as possible and, crucially, to experience what it is like to be more of a favorite than underdog, as she would have been in Germany against a stronger field.
It worked perfectly as she romped to the Rouen title, and she arrived at Madrid with sky-high confidence. There, she stunned everyone by winning her first WTA 1000. On the court, where once she might let her emotions get the better of her, Kostyuk has been focused and determined and has not allowed any moments of adversity to linger.
A mission for Ukraine
Kostyuk has been one of the most outspoken players about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, determined to ensure that what is happening in her homeland does not slip from public consciousness. Like her compatriot, Elina Svitolina, she feels like she is a woman on a mission, and the better she performs on court, the more joy she can bring to people at home.
At Roland Garros, it has seemed like a silent strength that is powering her through the draw. After beating Svitolina, she dedicated the victory to Ukraine and says she has received tons of messages of support from home.
"I'm still trying to do things and to do what I can to influence and I use my platform, I use my speeches, whenever I have a moment to remind about it," she said.