Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk won her maiden WTA 1000 title at the 2026 Madrid Open on Saturday, defeating Russia's Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in the final.
The 23-year-old world No. 23 capped her victory on the Manolo Santana Court by dropping to the clay and performing a backflip, delighting the crowd and fulfilling a personal tradition from her junior days.
Watch: Ukrainian star Kostyuk celebrates first WTA 1000 title with spectacular backflip
The win marks her third WTA title and extends her recent clay-court winning streak. Kostyuk, who had already secured a WTA 250 title in Rouen last month, controlled much of the match against the higher-ranked teenage opponent.
During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk expressed her surprise at lifting the title but did not mention her opponent in her speech, drawing a range of reactions online.
The triumph comes amid ongoing geopolitical sensitivities between Ukraine and Russia. Andreeva appeared emotional after the defeat, with no handshake exchanged between the players at the end.
Kostyuk has been vocal about her country's situation in the past. Her acrobatic celebration, however, quickly went viral as fans praised the "aura" and athletic flair. The backflip is not new for the Ukrainian, who has performed it in her younger years to mark big wins.
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