NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 6, 2026

Marta Kostyuk

Press Conference

M. KOSTYUK/M. Keys

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Marta, congratulations. Into the next round with a very good win, another very good win. Talk about your keys to the match today.

MARTA KOSTYUK: Yeah, I think it was a great match. I lost to Madison two times before playing with her today, and never beat her, so didn't know how the match was going to turn around for me. Yeah, obviously very happy with the performance today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. I wanted to ask about your baseline play today. There were a couple points where you just ripped down-the-line winners. Was that part of the strategy, was that something that Madison was giving you, and you just figured that was the time to really be aggressive, and just how proud were you of your aggression today?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Yeah, I'm happy with the balance that I found in the game. I think it's very difficult to overpower someone like Madison. I think she actually likes when the ball is coming flat to her and fast and she can increase the pace even more.

I'm happy with the tactics, for sure. When I had the opportunities, I used them, and that was also a key today, for sure.

Q. There were a lot of stops and starts with the rain. How you were able to just stay mentally focused during that and ultimately close out the match?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Well, I think we were lucky because we just stopped like two times in the beginning of the first set. Then the whole match was kind of smooth, so that was good.

I tried to not pay attention to it too much because I don't have control over it, so might as well just wait and, yeah, try to keep playing.

I don't know. I don't think it really influenced any of us today. We both handled it well. But obviously not the nicest, it's not the nicest experience, not for us and not for the crowd.

Q. You've really been on a tear for the last few months. You won 23 of your last 25 match, reached back-to-back slam semifinals. I know you may be tired of answering this sort of question, but has there been anything specifically that's ignited this kind of shift for you, and do you feel like there's anything in your game specifically that has changed and helped you be more successful, or do you think it's just more so a mental thing?

MARTA KOSTYUK: I obviously don't have a definite answer to that question. I don't know. I just don't know.

You just try to do your best. You learn from your mistakes, and you try to move in the right direction, with the right intention, and hope that it's going to bring you where you want to go.

Again, it still requires, in my opinion, a lot of luck and a lot of things to just fall into place.

There is not a lot of people that are in the position that I'm in, so I'm feeling incredibly lucky.

But I think, yeah, I've been working very hard my whole life, and surely making right decisions along the way helped, having right people helped.

Yeah, I think just being consistent day in, day out, whether it's difficult or not. Yeah, again, I would love to give you a formula and everyone to use it, but there isn't one.

I think it's the best part of it all. Yeah, I just try to get the most out of it. At this point I'm really focusing on enjoying the challenges that I am facing every single day, and actually embracing them and trying to learn as much as possible along the way.

Yeah, just, you know, just feeling very lucky to be playing this sport.

Q. Pretty flawless performance today, except when you were giving the ball away at the end of the match, you chucked it far. Were you aiming for someone in particular? What happened?

MARTA KOSTYUK: (Laughing). Well, I probably wasn't aware how far I can throw. I think that was really it. I wanted to go like further in, I wanted to throw it further in the stands. But, yeah, it went a little too far. I was really surprised with the strength I have.

Q. Talking about the match today, seemed like overall the vibe was just, the positivity was really there. You were dancing a little bit during the rain delay. How important is it for you to keep the good vibes going, the match was obviously going your way, but in matches that are maybe a little bit more difficult or challenging or close?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Well, as I said before, embracing the challenge, and I think really important to keep that benchmark for myself that how I handle losses.

Because, you know, to have fun and to be positive when everything is good is really easy, and I think everyone can do it.

But how you deal with difficult moments, and how you handle losses, this is the part where I feel like you can always improve.

I try to, you know, really pay attention to how I am when I'm down and when I'm losing. So ask me this question maybe when I lose, you know.

Q. Up next for you in the round of 16 is Iga, who you played a few times, and you earned your first victory over her in Paris a few months ago. Can you talk about how you're feeling about that matchup as it stands right now, and is there anything that you're looking to take from your victory over her in Paris into here in Toronto for Saturday?

MARTA KOSTYUK: Well, I definitely had really good win against her in Paris. I'm really curious what she's going to change for the next match. I will see what I'm going to change for the next match.

Again, it's hard court, that was clay. Different surface, different game.

Again, I think it's going to be a great match. I'm excited for it. I'm excited to play her again on hard court. Yeah, not much. I mean, I think it's going to be great.