SUMMARY
- Marta Kostyuk playfully thought of marrying Novak Djokovic in her childhood, adding a unique touch to her tennis journey.
- She recalls winning the 2017 Australian Open as a junior and reaching the third round of women's draw as a qualifier in the subsequent year.
In the dynamic world of professional tennis, stories of rising stars often unfold in unexpected ways. One such tale revolves around the Ukrainian tennis prodigy, Marta Kostyuk. At just 21 years old, Kostyuk has etched her name in the sport’s history, being in the top 50 in the world and clinching notable victories. However, an interesting anecdote of her tennis journey is a charming revelation from her teenage days.
She had boldly expressed her childhood fantasy of marrying none other than the Serbian tennis maestro, Novak Djokovic. Hailing from Ukraine, Marta Kostyuk, born on June 28, 2002, has established herself as an accomplished player in professional tennis, achieving world no. 32 in singles and No. 27 in doubles by August 2023.
Her triumphs include securing a singles WTA Tour title at the 2023 ATX Open and a doubles WTA title at the 2022 Slovenia Open. However, it was during her teenage years in 2018 that Kostyuk captured hearts by triumphing over home favorite Antonia Lottner in straight sets at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The spirited 15-year-old also had an impressive run at the Australian Open that year.
“Until I was nine I thought @DjokerNole was going to be my husband” – @marta_kostyuk 😍 😂 😂 pic.twitter.com/pyywu2s4BF
— wta (@WTA) April 24, 2018
Following her victory over Antonia Lottner, Kostyuk humorously expressed her childhood crush on Novak Djokovic, saying, “When I was growing up, I didn’t really have idols. I loved to watch Novak Djokovic. Until I was nine, I thought he was going to be my husband.” In this playful revelation, Kostyuk’s childhood dreams bring a sweet and special touch to her incredible journey in the world of tennis.
Marta Kostyuk, now married, aspires to be a Top 10 women’s player
At just 21, Marta Kostyuk reflects on her tennis story, remembering the emotional highs of winning the 2017 Australian Open as a junior. Despite ups and downs, one standout moment was reaching the third round at the AO 2018 in the women’s main draw as the reigning junior champion, while competing as a qualifier.
Kostyuk now the current world no. 42, looks ahead with a keen eye on the future, expressing curiosity about the pressures associated with clinching major titles. She shares, “I’m really curious how I’m going to feel once I start winning big titles because that is the pressure…everyone copes with it in a different way.”
Beyond the court, Kostyuk finds joy in her personal life such as her engagement and marriage to Heorhii. Guided by her mother, Talina, and coached by Sandra Zaniewska, she embraces a structured professional approach, both in her game and personal growth. She has also been bold enough to raise her voice against her Russian counterparts.
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Kostyuk enters 2024 with excitement, eyeing the challenges it brings. Her big goal is to break into the Top 10. With determination, she declares, “I’m really looking forward to this kind of pressure and experience.” Marta Kostyuk’s tennis journey continues, fueled by the dream of joining the world’s elite players.