Flip Top: Kostyuk Tops Andreva, Claims Madrid Crown with Backflip

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 2, 2026
Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook

Transforming terre battue to tennis trampoline, Marta Kostyuk flew to her biggest title in Madrid.

All-court acrobat Kostyuk clipped Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in today’s Mutua Madrid Open final then celebrated with a brilliant back flip.

Marta Kostyuk celebrates winning her 1st WTA 1000 title in Madrid by doing a BACKFLIP on court

AURA. pic.twitter.com/pg3fBIN1xC
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 2, 2026

The 26th-seeded Kostyuk had cause for high-flying celebration.

Kostyuk captured her second straight clay-court crown, following her run to Rouen, as she scored her 11th consecutive victory, improving to an immaculate 11-0 on red clay this season.

Asserting her all-court skills, Kostyuk cranked her inside-out forehand with precision, converted all four break points she earned and covered the court with vigor defeating Andreeva for the second time this season.

Soaring to her fifth Top 10 win and second title of the season, former gymnast Kostyuk stuck the landing on her backflip. If she can continue to play this brand of dynamic tennis, Kostyuk could well continue her ascent at Roland Garros.

“It feels unbelievable to stand here right now. It took me many years to reach this point,” Kostyuk said during the trophy presentation. “One word I think about right now is consistency.

“It’s showing up every day no matter how hard it is, no matter how much you love what you do. I’ve been doing that really well the past years, I think, so I’m very proud of myself and my team…

“Up until last year, I think I was 2-7 in Madrid. So I never, ever thought I would be able to lift the title here. It was was not my favorite tournament for sure. Thank you, the crowd. it wouldn’t have been possible without you… Glory to God and glory to Ukraine.”

Tumbling to the court while striking a forehand pass to earn triple championship point, Kostyuk arose with her back covered in a cloak of red clay.

On her third championship point, Kostyuk attacked net, drew an errant pass and crashed to the court shedding tears of joy.

The 2025 Dubai and Indian Wells champion Andreeva played better as the match progressed, including a three-game run to go up 3-2.

Andreeva betrayed her cause double-faulting the crucial break and a 6-5 lead to Kostyuk. Still, Andreeva, who celebrated her 19th birthday on April 29th, competed with more maturity than she did in her Indian Wells implosion last month and battled back into the match.

There was no customary post-match hand shake as Ukrainian Kostyuk does not shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players in protest of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Afterward, Andreeva credited Kostyuk for a well-earned win.

“First I would like to congratulate Marta and the team for this amazing win today,” Andreeva said. “You won two tournaments in a row so you’re playing very well. So congrats for this win as well.”

In this rematch of the Brisbane quarterfinals, Kostyuk was beating Andreeva to the ball, stepping into the court and playing off her front foot more frequently.

In an ideal start, Kostyuk cracked four winners: An ace, smash and forehand ripper opening the final with a statement love hold.

The 19-year-old Andreeva, the second-youngest Madrid finalist in history after Caroline Wozniacki in 2009, netted a drop shot to fall into a 15-30 hole in the sixth game.

Crouching a couple of feet inside the baseline, Kostyuk crushed a forehand return winner for double break point. In the ensuing 18-shot rally, Kostyuk hammered a forehand drive volley to set up a finishing forehand, celebrating the break and a 4-2 lead with loud “Come on!”

The Ukrainian held at 15 to back up the break for 5-2 after 23 minutes of play.

Coach Conchita Martinez stood in the box waving her hands up and down in a gesture for Andreeva to move her feet faster. Andreeva held at 15 forcing Kostyuk to serve for the set.

In an ambitious point, Andreeva smacked a forehand drive volley for double break point. Kostyuk erased both break points, including drawing a backhand error to save the second.

In a smoothly superb show of all-court skills, Kostyuk conjured a Martina Hingis-style lob-volley from the baseline to extend the point, fired a forehand to flip her status from defense to offense and dabbed a drop volley winner for a second set point. That was a prime-time play from Kostyuk and she sealed a one-set lead after 34 minutes when Andreeva floated a lob long.

The pair traded breaks to start the second set.

Regaining her range and rhythm, Andreeva was hitting her backhand with more authority and ambition. She used the lob smash combination to earn double break point. When Kostyuk badly bungled a smash into net, Andreeva broke again for her third straight game and a 3-1 lead.

The Kostyuk forehand was clicking as she came right back with triple-break point and drilled a diagonal forehand winner breaking back at love for 2-3.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian charged through eight straight points to level after six games.

The set seemed headed for a tiebreaker when Andreeva coughed up her third double fault ceding serve and a 6-5 lead to Kostyuk.

When her moment of truth arrived, Kostyuk took it on the rise with that attacking run to close in one hour, 21 minutes.