Elena Rybakina moved into the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal after Marta Kostyuk was forced to retire during their quarterfinal match. Rybakina had taken control early, winning the first set 6-1 and leading 2-1 in the second when Kostyuk signaled she could no longer continue.
Injury Halts a Promising Battle
The match, which lasted just 54 minutes, ended abruptly when Kostyuk, visibly in pain, had her forearm wrapped in medical tape. Despite attempting to play through the discomfort, the Ukrainian ultimately walked to the net and shook hands with Rybakina before leaving the court in tears.
Emotional Exit Leaves Fans Stunned
Spectators at IGA Stadium were left in silence as Kostyuk exited, her emotional reaction underscoring the physical toll of the tournament. Known for her fighting spirit, she had battled through tough matches earlier in the week, making her withdrawal all the more heartbreaking.
Rybakina’s Composed Performance
Rybakina, the No. 9 seed from Kazakhstan, maintained her focus throughout the match. She converted three of ten break-point opportunities and dominated with deep returns and consistent pressure. Her calm demeanor contrasted with the emotional end to the match.
Semifinal Awaits Against Rising Star
With the win, Rybakina now awaits her semifinal opponent—either Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko or Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. The Kazakh player is aiming for her second WTA 1000 final of the season, continuing a strong run in Montreal.
Feel free to ask if you’d like versions with different emotional tones or focus points—I’m ready when you are.
Rybakina in Montreal, ranking, and results in 2025
Now the world no.12, Rybakina has achieved a composed 37-14 match record in 2025. Elena is currently having a run in Montreal where she managed to beat the world no.50 Hailey Baptiste 6-4 6-3, the world no.52 Jaqueline Cristian 6-0 7-6(5), the world no.35 Dayana Yastremska 5-7 6-2 7-5
and the world no.28 Marta Kostyuk 6-1 2-1 ret..Elena Rybakina will square off with the world no.85 Victoria Mboko in the semifinal. Their current record is 1-0 for Rybakina.
Elena has won 1 title in 2025 in Strasbourg.
The Kazakhstani won 9 titles in her career: 4 on hard courts, 4 on clay courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of her titles)
Marta Kostyuk in 2025
Currently the world no.28, Kostyuk played her last match on the 4th of August when she had to retire when playing against world no.12 Elena Rybakina in the quarter and the scoreline was 6-1 2-1 .
This year Kostyuk has achieved a compiled 20-17 win-loss record.
Elena Rybakina and Marta Kostyuk played each other 4 times. Their current head to head is 3-1 for Rybakina.