Marta Kostyuk shared her thoughts about a Ukrainian saying after her loss to Elena Rybakina in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final in Stuttgart. Kostyuk achieved notable upsets against high-ranking opponents to reach the WTA 500 event final. However, she appeared fatigued and was outperformed by Rybakina, who secured her third title of the 2024 season.
During Kostyuk’s post-match press conference, she was asked about the Ukrainian saying “Slava Ukraini!” which she included in her runner-up speech. The 21-year-old explained the phrase translates to “Glory to Ukraine” and gained popularity amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. She also described how she uses the saying to identify fellow Ukrainians in places with significant Russian populations.
Kostyuk had previously reached the San Diego Open final this year but was defeated by Katie Boulter. In her emotional post-match speech, she expressed concern for her family in Ukraine, saying, “It’s been a difficult last couple of nights for Ukraine. My family is in Ukraine right now. I don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow.” As of this season, Kostyuk holds 19 wins and seven losses on the WTA Tour.
