"If there was never a war in my life, I don't think I'd be able to grow this much"- Marta Kostyuk on her & Ukrainian players' Australian Open success
Marta Kostyuk is one of four Ukrainian players to have reached the second week of the Australian Open, a historic high at Grand Slams for the country.
After qualifying for the quarterfinals, the youngster reflected on her personal and fellow Ukrainians’ success at the season’s opening Slam in the backdrop of a war back home.
When asked about the war in Ukraine during her presser, Kostyuk said it showed that there was no limit to “human possibilities”. She added that for her, the war brought unprecedented maturity on the personal front.
"I think it just shows that there is no limit in human possibilities withstanding stress and all around it," Marta Kostyuk said. "For me personally, it was very difficult, but at the same time I've grown a lot as a person."
"The oddest things that have happened, they helped me to grow this quick. If there was never a war in my life, I don't think I would be able to grow this much as I grew in the last two years," she added.
The Ukrainian further explained how perception plays a part in one's growth, depending on whether they viewed things as a burden and victimized themselves or worked to rise above it.
"I don't know. I think it's about the perspective, how you take it, because there are different things that happening," the Ukrainian said. "But I think if you take them as a burden or, like, Oh, why is it happening to me and it's not happening to other people, or if you victimize yourself, which I think it's normal."
"I think every person goes through this kind of feeling all the time. Not all the time, but from time to time. I think the more you can minimize this feeling of being a victim, I think the easier it is to get through life," she added.
"Very proud of all of us" - Marta Kostyuk on fellow Ukrainians succeeding at the Australian Open
Besides Marta Kostyuk, three other Ukrainian players — Elina Svitolina, Dayana Yastremska and Lesia Tsurenko — had made the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Reacting to the feat, Kostyuk said she was proud of her compatriots, crediting them for not losing faith and continuing to fight.
"I mean, very proud of all of us, honestly, for standing for so long and not losing faith and still fighting and fighting for our rights and fighting for everyone basically. I don't know," Marta Kostyuk said. "I think it just shows how strong Ukrainian people are."
Kostyuk will take on fourth seed and reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff in the Australian Open quarterfinal. The American ousted Magdalena Frech in her last match comfortably with a 6-2, 6-1 scoreline.