Ukrainian 15-year-old Marta Kostyuk, the world No.521, has qualified for Australian Open 2018 with a three-set win over Czech Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday at Melbourne Park.
The wildcard, who won the junior event here last year, powered away to take the match 6-3 5-7 6-0 and now finds herself in a maiden Grand Slam main draw – the first player born in 2002 to ever compete in a major.
“Age is nothing to me,” Kostyuk said after the win. “I don’t think about my age when I play, but to be young is sometimes an opportunity, the older girls can get a bit tight when I start to win.”
MORE: All of Sunday's qualifying results
After being taken to three sets in all three qualifying rounds, Kostyuk has been made to earn her main draw berth.
“It’s been really tough with the conditions, with the rain,” she said. “But I managed to stay calm in every match, that’s been the most important thing for me.”
On making her maiden Grand Slam, Kostyuk said she was pleased but quickly looking ahead. “I was happy for maybe the first minute after winning today, but then it felt like just another match. Of course, I am very interested to see who I’m going to play.”
“It’s nice to do it back in Melbourne,” Kostyuk added, recalling her junior title here last year. “When I first came back, I already felt like I am playing good. You know, in this place, I can play great. You just feel like you can do everything here.”
With the final round of women’s qualifying completed on Sunday, the highest remaining seeds Lin Zhu of China (No.3) and Swiss Viktorija Golubic (No.4) headlined the action, alongside Italian veteran Sara Errani.
Both seeds were untroubled, moving through to the main draw with relative ease; Zhu a winner over Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru, reversing the result from an ITF Pro Circuit event in Playford just a fortnight ago, and Golubic a straight sets winner over American Bernarda Pera (No.14).
Thai Luksika Kumkhum, the No.11 seed, had too much for Errani however, ending the Italian’s hopes of an 11th consecutive main draw appearance 6-4 6-1.
American Irina Falconi saw off the challenge of the only Australian remaining in qualifying, wildcard Priscilla Hon, dismissing the teenager 6-2 6-1.
“The main goal was just to go out there and give it all I’ve got,” Hon said afterwards. “I’m definitely disappointed, but overall, this week is another positive for me.”
Falconi’s countrywomen Kayla Day and Danielle Collins were not so fortunate, however, defeated by Pole Magdalena Frech and Czech No.18 seed Denisa Allertova respectively.
Additionally, following the withdrawal of Croatian Ana Konjuh, Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova – defeated by Russian Anna Blinkova – will be in the main draw as a lucky loser.