Marta Kostyuk says "it didn't feel very nice" to watch Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez reach US Open final, but admits their runs were "very inspirational"
Marta Kostyuk booked her spot in the semifinals of the 2021 Transylvania Open with a 6-2, 6-1 win over US Open champion Emma Raducanu on Friday.
The two women had played each other twice in juniors, registering one win each. In their first meeting on the WTA Tour, it was the Ukrainian who managed to take control of the contest, racing to victory in just 57 minutes.
Kostyuk burst onto the scene in 2018, when she reached the third round of the Australian Open as a 15-year-old. Since then, the Ukrainian's steady progress has been overshadowed by flashy runs by fellow youngsters like Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, who contested the US Open final last month.
Speaking to the media after her win over Raducanu, Kostyuk said it was "a bit rough" to watch the Brit and Fernandez battle it out in the final in New York as she felt just as eager to succeed on the big stage.
"I have to be honest, it was a bit rough for me to watch, both of their runs," Kostyuk said. "I’m trying to be the best I can be, so obviously I wanna be where they are & I’m sure it’s gonna happen soon but it didn’t feel very nice."
Kostyuk, however, was quick to add that the performances by Raducanu and Fernandez at Flushing Meadows inspired her to keep working hard.
The Ukrainian also heaped praise on the way the two teenagers handled the pressure in New York.
"It was very, very inspirational because it gave me strength & I realized that I can do the same thing," Kostyuk said.
"So this is the thing they gave me, which I’m very thankful for," she continued. "Because leading something is never easy, when you are the 1st it’s always extra pressure."
"I think the first game was where everything started" - Marta Kostyuk on her QF win over Emma Raducanu
During the interaction, Kostyuk also spoke about her emphatic win over Raducanu on Friday, stating that her momentum began when she won the lengthy opening game of the match. The 19-year-old said coming out on top gave her the confidence to play with freedom.
The Ukrainian added that she figured out how to play against the Brit midway through the opening set and stuck to her gameplan of putting "as many balls back" into play.
"I don't know how I won the first game, I think that's where everything started," Kostyuk said. "I somehow won that game and I gained this confidence, like I'm not going to lose this match."
"After that, by the fifth game maybe, I figured out how to play her - today," she continued. "If her ball is in, it's really tough to do something. I was trying to put as many balls back as I could, and that's it."
Kostyuk will next take on top seed and home favorite Simona Halep in the semifinals on Saturday.
Marta Kostyuk gets the big win!
Marta defeats US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-1 and she qualifies in the semifinals of Transylvania Open!
What a great performance for Marta! https://t.co/VnIZrEvGFs