Ukrainian tennis player Kostyuk again caused problems for world No. 1
Marta Kostyuk (photo: instagram.com/martakostyuk)
Marta Kostyuk faced world number one – neutral Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka – for the second time in two weeks. This time, it was in the Round of 16 at the WTA 1000 event in Rome.
WTA 1000, Rome, Round of 16
Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) – Aryna Sabalenka – 1:6, 6:7
Two weeks ago, in the quarterfinals in Madrid, despite the overall defeat, the Ukrainian impressed with her performance against the world number one. She pushed her opponent to the brink of a meltdown, with both sets going to tiebreaks, where the balance could have tipped in either direction.
The battle in Rome was similarly tense and intense. However, this match didn't carry the same level of suspense throughout.
How the match went
There was almost no fight in the first set. It wasn’t just the final score – 1:6 – but the way the points unfolded in the games. Kostyuk managed to put up resistance in four out of the seven games: the first two, the fourth (where she won her only point in the set), and the sixth. The others were lost without a chance.
However, in the second set, we saw a completely different Marta – the one capable of creating problems for any opponent.
In the first half of the set, the Ukrainian comfortably won points on her own serve. Against Sabalenka’s serves, she fought tooth and nail. Eventually, she made a break in the ninth game and led 5-4. All she needed was to hold her serve and win the set. However, the Ukrainian clearly struggled with her nerves during a brief moment of euphoria. How else can one explain losing her serve – 0:40?
When Sabalenka won the next two games, it seemed like the tide had turned in the set: 6-5, with the Belarusian serving. But Kostyuk once again showed her character: she saved one of Sabalenka's serves and pushed the set to a tiebreak.
The brief game – the third tiebreak in their last two encounters – became a dramatic highlight of this tennis spectacle. It took 18 rallies to decide the winner. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian couldn’t withstand the pressure. In a situation where each player held their serve, she faltered at 8-8. This mistake proved fatal. Sabalenka, serving, took the decisive point – 10:8.
Conclusions after the match
Regardless of the result, Marta Kostyuk showcased very good tennis at the Rome tournament and achieved her best result yet, making it to the Round of 16 for the first time in this competition.
What is also promising is the trend in her encounters with the world number one. In three out of the last four sets against Sabalenka, she came incredibly close to victory.
However, let's not forget that Kostyuk is only 22 years old and is still developing into a top-class tennis player. Sabalenka, at 27, is currently at the peak of her career. Time, undoubtedly, is on the Ukrainian's side.
