Marta Kostyuk defeated Linda Noskova in straight sets to advance to the Mutua Madrid Open semifinals on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Ukrainian, riding a career-high nine-match win streak, credited therapy and maturity for her improved emotional stability. She remains undefeated on clay this season at 9-0.
Kostyuk blanked Noskova in the second set during their quarterfinal match at the Mutua Madrid Open, securing her place in the semifinals. Coming off a title in Rouen, she has now reached three semifinals and two finals in 2026, matching career highs. Her four Top 10 wins this year trail only her five from 2024, all in straight sets. Overall, Kostyuk holds a 15-4 record in 2026, excluding an early Australian Open exit, and is nearing a return to the Top 20 rankings. She described her clay season start as perfect at 9-0. In her post-match press conference, Kostyuk reflected on her growth. “I've been playing good tennis throughout this whole year,” she said. “I just had a really difficult draw in Indian Wells and Miami. Honestly, after those matches, I wasn't that disappointed.” The player attributed her success to a mental overhaul rather than technical changes. “It definitely helps to get older in that sense,” Kostyuk said. “But I would say I've done therapy for many years now... I would destroy myself internally.” She explained that therapy helped her detach emotionally from results, allowing consistency. “You just go out there, you do your job and you don't have an emotional attachment to it,” she added. As May begins, Kostyuk eyes her first WTA 1000 title in Madrid.
