Marta Kostyuk Wins Madrid Open with Help from 'Lucky Shorts'

Marta Kostyuk captured her first WTA 1000 title in Madrid on Saturday, defeating eighth-ranked Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in under 90 minutes. The 23-year-old Ukrainian, ranked 23rd, secured the most prestigious trophy of her career.

Kostyuk posed for photos at the Caja Magica with her team, her two dogs, and an unusual prop: a pair of men’s black underwear labeled 'Lucky Shorts.' She explained that a tournament laundry mix-up led to the discovery last year. Her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, kept the shorts as a charm and retrieved them from her father’s house for this event.

“We made this promise that if I’d win, we would bring the 'Lucky Shorts' for the photoshoot with the trophy,” Kostyuk told Movistar Plus. She described the victory as tasting “like champagne.”

This is Kostyuk’s third career singles title and second in less than a month, following her win in Rouen. She added, “Watching this tournament as a child... I never thought this was possible.”