Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk recently explained that her struggles against the world’s top two players, Iga Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka, stem from their physical advantages. The 23-year-old admitted she cannot match their size and strength.
However, her remarks drew criticism from fans, with many accusing her of making excuses for her on-court struggles.
Fans Criticize Marta Kostyuk for Recent Comments on Iga Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka
Kostyuk is yet to secure a win against Świątek or Sabalenka, trailing 3-0 and 4-0 in their respective head-to-heads. In a recent interview with Tennis365, she candidly acknowledged the physical gap, emphasizing that competing against them demands extra efforts.
“They are all much bigger than me, much taller than me, much stronger than me. I feel smaller than them. I cannot make myself 10kgs bigger or five centimetres taller so I have to use everything I have at 100 percent. It’s just part of the sport and a very cool challenge for me to take on these players,” she said.
While Kostyuk shared her perspective on the challenges, netizens didn’t seem to agree, with many dismissing them as mere excuses.
“saying this as a professional athlete is so embarrassing,” one fan wrote.
saying this as a professional athlete is so embarrassing
— rosie 💙 (@sabalenkOVER) October 20, 2025
A fan pointed out that American tennis star Coco Gauff, who shares similar physical attributes with Kostyuk, has managed to secure wins over both Sabalenka and Świątek.
“you are 5’9”, Coco Gauff too is 5’9”. Always one excuse or the other with you Kostyuk, they said.
One fan was critical, pointing to Italian star Jasmine Paolini as an example.
“Jasmine Paolini is 5’3” – even kids are taller than her. She has beat Iga 6-1/6-2. If you can’t beat – everything else is an excuse. And this is some next level excuse!” They commented.
Another fan argued that overcoming top players is more about skill and mindset than physical size, citing seve-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin, a smaller player, who competed successfully against dominant champions.
“Sounds more like a mental block rather than physical. Henin for example was 5ft 5 and weighed as light as a feather, but was still able go toe to toe with Serena, Venus, Davenport, Sharapova,” they explained.
Sounds more like a mental block rather than physical. Henin for example was 5ft 5 and weighed as light as a feather, but was still able go toe to toe with Serena, Venus, Davenport, Sharapova
— Conor (@cjcw22) October 20, 2025
Here are a few more reactions from the tennis fans:
“I love Marta but this is so weird considering she’s more muscular than both of them… lol,” a fan commented.
“I would estimate that she & Iga are the exact same height & weight. Iga moves better than she does for sure,” another chimed in.
Fans’ reactions highlight their disagreement with Kostyuk’s take on facing the world’s top two players. The Ukrainian has yet to win a set against either Świątek or Sabalenka, and while she cites the physical gap, many urged her to focus on strengthening her mental game.
Kostyuk’s 2025 season has been underwhelming, with a 26–20 win-loss record and no titles to her name.
