For the first time in history, Ukrainians entered the top ten tennis countries in Europe, the TSN. Tyzhden.
The best racket of Ukraine Elina Svitolina competed with the real tennis prodigy from Kiev 15-year-old Marta Kostiuk, who set the record, becoming the youngest participant of prestigious competitions in the last 20 years. The last time such a success was achieved by the legendary Martin Hingis.
"You know that no one will tell you how to raise it. Marta all coincided, "- said Martha's father Oleg Kostyuk.
For the tennis success of his daughter on Australian courts, the man watched from Kiev. According to him, the family of athletes had no choice but to go to tennis, Martha did not have. "Thinking about how to name your second daughter. She was born after Roland Garos. Hingis thundered. I said that let's call it Marta. In this there is something ", - Oleg Kostyuk remembered.
For the first time on the court, Martha came out before her birth. Her mother - champion Talina Beyko - until the ninth month of pregnancy did not leave work. She hid the belly behind wide sports jackets, and even gave odds to her sparring partners. At first, hopes for a career were assigned to the eldest daughter. The youngest in the gym was after the death of my grandmother, who took care of the girl. To be with her mother, Martha put off the doll and picked up the racket.
She immediately showed the result. So, at the training base "Antey", where my mother trained children, and my father worked as a technical director - showed outstanding results. "She has strength from me, and the feeling of the court is from my mother," says Marta Kostiuk's father.
Masha complicated the nature of the girl - Martha did not know how to lose and often ripped off training. However, she immediately won the cups of Ukraine and Europe, wins in the States and the Cup of Junior competitions at the Australian Open, beating for three years the older rival.
At the same time, the future rival of Martha - Elina Svitolina - makes her way to the high levels of world ratings. Having in reserve a sensational victory over Serena Williams at the Olympics, she takes the cup for the cup. The best tennis player of the country started its way - in this academy in Odessa. Former coach Svitolina called her a very quiet, calm girl.
In the third round of the championship, the 15-year-old sensation of the tournament Marta Kostyuk lost to the more experienced Elina Svitoliniy. Came to the courts and another Ukrainian Katerina Bondarenko, who defeated the Russian, but lost to the Slovak.
According to the sponsor Svitolina Yuri Sapronov, to bring up a talented 12-year-old player costs from half a million to one million euros.
For Svitolinu took the best coaches of the world. Now she is the most successful Ukrainian tennis player not only in the place in the world ranking, but also in terms of the amount of the prize money earned for her career. In his 23 years already earned in tournaments $ 7 million. As the manager of Elina Stefan Gurov, the athlete has a large team of 4-5 people.
Working day at Elina, when she participates in competitions, is painted by the minute. Elina Svitolina is convinced that for success it is necessary to go out on the court and work, train and improve.
Marte Kostiuk helped friends to go to the first competition. Now the girl is training in Croatia and France. They are waiting for her at the first training base "Antey", where on the walls, along with the portraits of her mother, there are portraits of Martha herself.
Ekaterina Shipko.