Aryna Sabalenka-Marta Kostyuk Madrid Open Controversy: What Led to Abrupt Halt and Heated Argument With Umpire?

The Aryna Sabalenka-Marta Kostyuk quarterfinal at the Madrid Open had a moment of controversy.

Aryna Sabalenka’s quarterfinal match against Marta Kostyuk at the 2025 Madrid Open was shrouded in controversy. The controversy arose when the Belarusian abruptly stopped the match due to rain.

Last year, Sabalenka finished as the runner-up at the WTA 1000 clay-court event, while Kostyuk was eliminated in the second round by Mayar Sherif.

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Aryna Sabakenka Stops Plays Against Marta Kostyuk Due to Rain at Madrid Open 2025

Sabalenka is the top seed at the 2025 Madrid Open and she triumphed over qualifier Anna Blinkova, 28th seed Elise Mertens, and Peyton Stearns to book her spot in the quarterfinals. Here, she faced 24th seed Kostyuk and emerged victorious with a score of 7-6(4), 7-6(7).

However, the match between the Belarusian and the Ukrainian was not without its share of drama. During the match, rain began to fall which prompted Sabalenka to question the chair umpire about the conditions after missing her first serve.

Despite the umpire saying that play could continue due to the light rain, the World No. 1 chose to stop play as the rain intensified. Kostyuk was visibly displeased with Sabalenka’s actions and she complained about the same to the chair umpire.

 

Aryna Sabalenka Addresses Why She Stopped Play Against Marta Kostyuk at Madrid Open 2025

After defeating Kostyuk in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Madrid Open, Sabalenka shared the reason behind her sudden decision to stop play. The World No. 1 explained that serving had become increasingly difficult due to rainwater falling into her eyes, causing disruptions.

Sabalenka also mentioned that she was “glad” that she stopped the play under such conditions.

“Oh my God…! Serving while the rain was falling was impossible. I tried with the first serve, but I realized that I had to stop because the water was getting into my eyes. It was impossible. I knew I was going to double fault, and I didn’t want that to happen, so I decided that the game couldn’t continue. I’m glad I did it,” Aryna Sabalenka said [as quoted by Punto de Break, translated from Spanish].

Sabalenka is next set to compete against 17th seed Elina Svitolina in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 clay court tournament in Madrid. The two players have met five times on the WTA Tour, with the World No. 1 emerging victorious in four of those encounters.

Their most recent clash took place in the third round of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, where Sabalenka secured a 7-5, 6-2 win. She went on to win the tournament after beating Jessica Pegula in the final.

The winner of the semifinal showdown between Sabalenka and Svitolina will advance to face either second seed Iga Swiatek or fourth seed Coco Gauff in the final.

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