MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2026

Marta Kostyuk

Mixed Zone

M. KOSTYUK/A. Potapova

6-2, 1-6, 6-1

Q. How are you feeling at this current moment?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I feel always great, very happy with the turnaround in third set. I think the most important thing is the win today, and I take it.

Q. And it was an interesting battle, because you had won 21 of your last 23 matches when taking the first set. She had won five of her comeback matches so far this year. What do you think makes you so good at winning when you take the opening set?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I don't know, I think just the fact that you start the match leading, you know. Even if you lose the second set, you kind of know what helped you win the first set, and you try to rely on that. But honestly I don't know, I think just a lot of fighting, and I don't think about it, I just try to win matches.

Q. Both of the players tonight were dominant in the sets that they won. Why do you think the match had such long periods of momentum swings?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I think I decided to change something in the second set, and she started very well, saved that break point in the second game, which I think was important moment. Yeah, I was just trying to play different way.

And then I think in the beginning of third set I completely changed it, and I don't think she was ready for it. As she got a little bit more used to it, I was already deep into the lead, you know, and I don't know what exactly was the reason behind it.

Q. Back-to-back finals for you now. What experience can you take from Rouen going into the finals Saturday?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I think it's a little bit different finals. Different opponents, different conditions as well, entirely different tournament. I was the most nervous probably before my quarterfinals match because it felt like I'm very close to the end of the tournament, but yet I'm actually still just in the middle, just the last players left. Yeah, I battled through that in my head.

Even today, when I was down I was just supporting myself, and really just tried to enjoy the moment of being in the semifinals of one of the biggest tournaments on tour. I want to do the same on Saturday, because at the end of the day, no matter how this match turns around, I made the finals. I really want to enjoy being out there and just playing tennis and bringing a good show.

Q. With the long run in Rouen and now reaching the final here, how are you feeling physically heading into Saturday?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I think it's up and down. Obviously, end of the week, so I don't think anyone feels super fresh. I think it's normal. I think the most important thing is just how you handle it, and that's what makes a difference.

I think I did really well today, especially that comeback in the third set. And, you know, just all that matters is the same thing going into Saturday.

Q. Talking about the final, you'll face Mirra. Obviously, as well as you, she's won a clay court title this season. What are you expecting out of her game on Saturday?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Yeah, we've played in Brisbane, and I think it's entirely different court and everything. We had really difficult match.

But I'm excited for the final, because it's a final, at the end of the day. She's very solid player, very hard hitter, more like she has very big serve. So, you know, I'm excited for that. I don't know, I it's really different conditions.

Q. Going back to the card game, what inspired you to choose the jack of diamonds today?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Because I think it was like my 30th card that I tried to guess, because we were just going one after another, and all of us were doing it. And then Sandra was holding the cards, and we were just picking random numbers. And actually my osteo, Claudio, he was very close like four times. We were like, no way. Like it was, I mean, he said 8 red hearts, and it was like 7 red hearts. And we were like, oh, this was like close. And then I just, I just guessed it. There was no logic in it whatsoever.