This year's Wimbledon women's singles semi-finalists have navigated a complicated history with grass courts, ultimately mastering the surface to reach the final stages of the tournament. For players like Marta Kostyuk, the transition from dominant clay-court form to the unpredictable bounce of grass has been a significant challenge.
Kostyuk, who secured two consecutive titles on clay and reached the French Open semi-finals, opted not to play any tournaments before Wimbledon. Instead, she returned to Ukraine and took a holiday in Greece. Despite her recent clay-court successes, she admitted to a difficult past relationship with grass.
"I feel like a lot of years that I played here, I played horrendous," Kostyuk said. "I could not find my tennis on this surface, on any tournament. It was a really complicated relationship for me."
Her confidence was not bolstered upon arriving in London, having lost practice sets to veteran Serena Williams and Jessica Pegula. However, encouragement from her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, provided a crucial turning point. "I turned to Sandra and said: 'Can you please tell me, honestly, right now, if you think that grass suits my game?' She said: '100%'," Kostyuk recounted. "That gave me something to hold onto."
The breakthrough for Kostyuk and her fellow semi-finalists signifies a success in overcoming a surface that has historically presented difficulties for their games. The ability to adapt and find form on grass courts is a testament to their skill and mental fortitude.