'I was shaking': Marcinko and Costoulas set for Australian Open final
Having sat down to eat earlier this week, Croatia’s Petra Marcinko started to gaze at photographs on the wall of legendary players who have competed and lifted silverware at the Australian Open.
Some were illustrious names from the past whose majesty spans the generations, while others were modern-day heroes and heroines who continue to sprinkle magic on courts around the world.
For a proportion of those distinguished individuals, their first major trophy was a Junior Grand Slam, and that is the prize on offer for both Marcinko and Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas when they meet on Rod Laver Arena in tomorrow’s girls’ final.
Junior world No. 1 Marcinko, who is the top seed in the girls’ draw, reached the final after dispatching Liv Hovde of the United States, 6-4 4-6 6-4, in a rain-affected clash completed on Margaret Court Arena.
Costoulas, meanwhile, ended hopes of a first Australian girl’s champion on home soil since Siobhan Drake-Brockman in 1995 when she overpowered Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz in convincing style, 6-4 6-1.
“It is an amazing feeling to be a Junior Grand Slam finalist,” Marcinko told itftennis.com. “I have never done this well at a Grand Slam before and I was shaking for so long after my match that I needed time to calm down.
“I don’t want to get hyped up too much because I have one more match, but where we were eating the other day, there were pictures of all these big names, and it would be amazing to win where they won.
“I was told before this week that the junior finals are on Rod Laver and I’m now there. I just want to play there, I am going to give everything I have. I just want to be in that giant stadium.”
Costoulas echoes Marcinko’s sentiments as the No. 8 seed also goes in search of silverware and Belgium’s first Junior Grand Slam girls’ title since An-Sophie Mestach triumphed at the Australian Open Junior Championships in 2011.
“It feels great to be a Junior Grand Slam finalist,” Costoulas told itftennis.com. “I am very happy that I managed to play a good match today because Charlotte is a tough opponent, and I am very happy and excited for the final.
“Of course, I would be very proud to add my name to the illustrious list of previous Junior Grand Slam winners, but I am already very proud of the tournament I have played so far.”
Costoulas, however, who spoke yesterday of the affection she holds for her Greek heritage, is keen to diffuse any mounting pressure and play down suggestions of tomorrow’s showdown having career-defining significance.
After all, the 16-year-old has already had significant experience on the ITF World Tennis Tour and reached the final at her last two events at W15 Monastir, with the most recent concluding in the first week of January. Costoulas is conscious to place tomorrow’s clash into a wider context.
“I don’t think a Junior Grand Slam means everything because it is still juniors and I have a whole professional career ahead of me,” added Costoulas. “I will be very happy to win, of course, but for me it is not everything.”
If there is additional pressure, that is something Marcinko has been dealing with in spades this week given her tag as top seed and the highest-ranked girl on the planet. While the 16-year-old is still acclimatising to her newly-acquired status, she appears to be thriving.
“Even though there should be added pressure, I don’t take it like that,” she said. “I know that all these girls are good and the fact I am top seed here does not make me the best.
“I have just gone into all of my matches thinking I have to get all of myself there. I cannot think that because I now have a better ranking that I am going to win. It hasn’t affected me, regardless of the match situation.
“I have been through all types of matches this week, ones finishing in two sets and others where I have had to fight back or go again – like today – after my opponent levelled. Having been able to win matches in different ways will for sure help tomorrow.”
Winning would appear to be something of a habit for these two competitors. Costoulas is certainly getting used to the taste of success, in fact victory over Kempenaers-Pocz was her 11th junior match-win of an increasingly impressive campaign.
After her exploits at W15 Monastir, the prodigiously-talented teenager conquered all before her and topped the podium at J1 Traralgon – the traditional warm-up event for the Australian Open.
Marcinko, meanwhile, has also racked up 11 successive junior match-wins since giving a walkover to Evialina Laskevich in the third round at J1 Bradenton in December. Indeed, she won the Orange Bowl at JA Plantation the following week which propelled her to No. 1 in the world.
In short, two in-form opponents will be going head-to-head for the prestige of winning a Junior Grand Slam and something has to give. It should be a cracker.
One piece of silverware already determined, meanwhile, is the girls' doubles, with Russia's Diana Shnaider and Clervie Ngounoue of the United States defeating Canada's Victoria Mboko and Kayla Cross. For Shnaider, it is a second Junior Grand Slam doubles crown after she and Kristina Dmitruk claimed last year's title at Wimbledon.