Key Takeaways
- Marta Kostyuk advanced to the fourth round of the US Open with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
- Kostyuk revealed she stays in Williamsburg rather than Manhattan, calling the neighborhood “for sure 100 times better” and much quieter.
- Despite chasing a spot at the WTA Finals, Kostyuk insisted: “If I’m not ready to play I’m not going to, you know, destroy myself just to try to get there.”
Comfort in Brooklyn and evolution on court
Marta Kostyuk continued her deep run at the US Open, putting together a commanding third-round performance to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2. Following the victory, the Ukrainian addressed media members in New York, offering insight into her life off the court, technical tweaks on it, and the relentless demands of the professional tennis calendar.
While many players opt to stay in midtown Manhattan during the tournament, Kostyuk revealed she has established a regular routine across the river in Brooklyn. “I’m staying there for the third year already,” Kostyuk explained regarding Williamsburg. “And yeah, just my previous agents just made the deal and we decided to give it a try and then we loved it so much that we’re like um this is it. This is where we’re going to stay and I have great relationship with the hotel. So it’s always nice to come back and yeah for sure 100 times better than Manhattan.”
Appreciating the neighborhood feel, Kostyuk noted that it offers a welcome escape from the intense tournament bubble: “I love that people there is actually people who live there, not tourists or, you know, everybody. Um, and there is a lot of very nice restaurants and it’s still pretty busy, but much much more quiet than Manhattan.”
Dialing in the mechanics and blocking out stadium noise
Kostyuk has also seen the fruits of technical adjustments in her game, specifically on her delivery. The Ukrainian explained that finding a reliable service motion has been an ongoing balancing act between physical strain and pace.
“I think I have very fast serve for my height,” Kostyuk said. “Uh but I struggled a lot with the motion with injuries cuz my serve is so fast, you know, it requires a lot from my body. And um yeah, last in the beginning of last year, I found emotion that kind of stuck with me. But then it’s still it still changes all the time. Just very little changes. And then you look back and like 6 months later, it’s again a little bit different.”
She added: “I for sure found something that’s like the closest to how I would like to serve. Um, again, we work on it every day and every day something falls apart. I need to find a way. I need to find the rhythm again. Um, but for sure it’s much more consistent right now.”
Navigating the loud environment of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is another challenge, especially on show courts like Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium. When asked about handling the ambient distraction and sound in Queens, Kostyuk reflected on the varying conditions across venues.
“Armstrong and Ash are very very very loud and um like at all times,” she pointed out, recalling that Court 4 at Wimbledon was the only other court that felt similarly noisy due to surrounding foot traffic. “So I think it depends on the day and how tired you are and how you are like able to like disconnect and just like focus on on playing. Um it was a little bit difficult for me in the match with Sloane. Um first couple of games then it was you kind of because there is this constant noise you just kind of get used to it and then you don’t even hear it anymore.”
The acoustics can even change the sensory experience of striking the ball. “When I was hitting on Ash, when I was playing this set on Ash, I didn’t even hear the ball like even when I was hitting it,” Kostyuk admitted. “So, it’s a different feeling, but whatever.”
Prioritizing physical health over points and penalties
With player workload and physical wear-and-tear being prominent topics across both tours, Kostyuk spoke candidly about managing her schedule. Despite closing in on qualification for the season-ending WTA Finals, she affirmed that preserving her health comes before ranking goals.
“I think everyone does what they think is best. I always make decisions based on how my body is and what’s best for me in the moment, even if I’m going to be punished for it or, you know, lose points or whatever,” Kostyuk explained. While noting that top figures like Carlos Alcaraz have the ability to step away and instantly return to title contention, she remains realistic about her own path.
“I take my breaks when I need to. Last year I finished season early. The two years ago I also finished the season early so um I always do what’s what’s best and even this year I’m very close to qualifying for WTA Finals,” Kostyuk said. “We obviously have this conversation inside the team to see how we schedule things and stuff but then we always go back to the fact that we’re not going to make decisions based on me trying to get into WTA Finals. If I’m not ready to play I’m not going to, you know, destroy myself just to try to get there.”
Kostyuk accepted that this strategy means absorbing zeroes on the rankings sheet and potential monetary hits, pointing out that extreme burnout has become all too common. “For sure. I mean, we I think we see a lot of cases of players just, you know, having surgeries, finishing season in the middle of the season, not even like earlier,” she said. “Um, everyone’s burned out and it’s tough. It’s tough.”
Facing Russian opposition amid attacks on her homeland remains a reality for Kostyuk, but she has developed an approach focused squarely on competition and personal care. “Well, right now I don’t think it’s that emotional for me. I just go out there and do my job regardless who’s on the other side of the net,” Kostyuk concluded. “Um, and I’m, you know, praying for my family and just, you know, hoping for their safety as much as as I can. And and that’s it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdoQgFu6NaU
WTA U.S. Open - Marta Kostyuk's projected path
Kostyuk at the U.S. Open, ranking, and results in 2026
Ranked world no.11 (career-high), Kostyuk has achieved an overall 37-8 match record in 2026. Marta is competing at the U.S. Open where she ousted the world no.169 Storm Hunter 6-4 6-1, the world no.209 Sloane Stephens 6-1 7-5 and the world no.19 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 6-2.
Marta Kostyuk will compete against the world no.129 Katarzyna Kawa in the . Their current record is 1-0 for Kostyuk.
The Ukrainian clinched 2 titles in 2026 in Rouen and Madrid.
