Who is Yuliia Starodubtseva? Q&A with Charleston's star and first time WTA finalist

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- For Yuliia Starodubsteva, she didn't have high expectations coming into the Charleston Open.

The Ukranian World No. 89 said that while she knew her level was there, her confidence wasn't up to par after an up-and-down 2025, and she entered this tournament as a qualifier until a withdrawal moved her into the main draw.

In the Lowcountry, Starodubtseva reached her first career WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz final. She faces defending champion Jessica Pegula for the title. Get to know Starodubtseva, and check out the Q&A with wtatennis.com at the bottom:

She hasn't been home to Ukraine in four years

With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Starodubtseva has not been back home in four years, she told press after her win over Madison Keys in the Charleston semifinals. She currently resides in Berlin, Germany, but is moving to Barcelona, Spain soon. 

"I still have family back home," Starodubtseva said. "I haven't been home for four years. Really miss home. Haven't seen my dad for four years, my grandparents.

"It's been hard. I keep thinking how to bring us all together, but maybe now it's going to become easier because I feel like a lot of it depends on the finals."

She played collegiately at Old Dominion University

Starodubtseva elected to go the collegiate route abroad from her native Ukraine because at the time she wasn't financially ready to go professional, and the then 17-year-old decided on Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in the United States.

"In all fairness, like I was 17 years old, and I had no idea about American colleges," Starodubtseva said to press after her quarterfinal win over McCartney Kessler. "It just seemed like a great opportunity, especially at that moment I wasn't able to go pro."

In spring 2022, she went 22-1 in singles matches, with the lone defeat to -- ironically -- Kessler, who defeated her in a three-set thriller while competing for the University of Florida. Starodubtseva said she chose Old Dominion because they provided her the most resources to compete, and that there were already fellow Ukrainian players on the team.

"I felt like comfortable going there, and they provided me with good full scholarship, food, accommodations. So it was good."

Furthermore, she met her current coach and boyfriend Pearse Dolan at Old Dominion. He played on the men's team at while Starodubtseva was there. Dolan, of Australia, has coached her for the past year and a half. 

She coached on green clay for a year at a country club

After graduating from Old Dominion in 2022, Starodubtseva spent a year in Westchester, New York and coached at Westchester Country Club. Funny enough, there are 15 green clay courts at the country club, which Starodubtseva jokingly credited to her success in Charleston. 

"There is an inside joke that I'm so comfortable on green clay because I coached it for a year," Starodubtseva said Friday. 

As she wasn't immediately able to go professional following university, she earned income coaching in the suburb of New York City, and played UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) tournaments as the bridge to become professional. Funny enough, she recalled how she also played Kessler in a final of one those events, but this time she had won.

In Friday's Charleston quarterfinal win over Kessler, her former boss at the country club was in attendance, too. 

Her country club clientele you might ask? 

"Everyone," Starodubtseva laughed. "I coached a ladies' clinic, a men's clinic, kids, camp, whatever you say, 10 hours a day sometimes."

A Q&A with wtatennis.com after her semifinal win

During your press conference you mentioned about your family back home, have they been able to watch the run you are having in Charleston?

Starodubtseva: It was funny yesterday I finished at night, and I wasn't sure if my parents watched. Sometimes they struggle to find a stream, back home it's a little tough. My dad texted me after match. 'How do you feel? Do you feel excited? Do you feel tired? Do you feel adrenaline? Can you practice now? Can you go and practice now?'

Just a solid eastern European mentality. I'm like 'Dad, I'm in bed resting.'

Given the success in Charleston, you said that your phone is blowing up. How many unread messages do you have?

Starodubtseva: (checks phone) I can't even scroll through them, that's crazy. And my Instagram is off, so I just don't see it so it's not in my face all the time. I'm just not going to open it up. Hopefully I get some followers now (laughing). 

What was your inspiration to get into tennis?

Starodubtseva: I feel like it started kind of randomly. I picked a sport for me to do when I was five. It wasn't competitive at all at first until maybe 11 (years old). I started winning some home tournaments, then my dad took me to some tournaments in Ukraine, won that as well. 

Then I started being competitive and I felt like maybe I could go further. At that point, I was around 17, and it was the decision to go to college or play professionally. At that point, we felt we weren't ready, maybe physically, mentally and financially as well.

Before you went to Old Dominion, what was your perception of American college?

Starodubtseva: My dad was all for it, but I had no idea what was going on (laughing). I wasn't sure where I'm going to go, what university, I didn't know much about the university culture in the U.S., even though how big it is, as I understand now. 

I feel I grew up a lot in college and became a better player there as well. I did my undergrad in intercultural communication, and then my master's in sport management. 

What was your favorite part about the athlete experience at university? 

Starodubtseva: Traveling, I feel like that would be my best and favorite part, just being with the team and having fun. Sharing rooms, sometimes sharing a car, car rides, house parties...sometimes.

Follow-up: On the Tennis Channel, you mentioned you like to go out?

I am not like crazy. I went out this year maybe one time (laughing), and that was a lucky day. In college, maybe a bit more. Definitely I had fun, but now I'm serious.

What are your biggest hobbies or things you do off the court?

Starodubtseva: I love to drive, I like good cars. I like techno music, listening to a lot of that. Sometimes I read books, but I'm not sure if it's my favorite hobby, I just try to do it. Watching movies, TV shows, going to cinema here. 

What's your dream place to drive? 

A highway, in Germany would be great. The Autobahn, yeah.

Aside from tennis, what other sports do you enjoy watching or playing?

Starodubtseva: I get influenced by my boyfriend, he watches a lot of American football so I have to sit there and watch it as well (laughing). 

What's his favorite team and have you been to a game?

Green Bay Packers. He loves Aaron Rodgers*, me too now. He still supports them, I do as well. Only in college. I haven't been to a professional game. Not much opportunity.

*Former Green Bay quarterback and current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback