Marta Kostyuk Bio, Age, Height, Husband Heorhii Sudakov, Career, WTA Ranking, Ukraine War Stance, & Facts

Marta Kostyuk is one of the most compelling figures in women’s tennis, a Ukrainian powerhouse whose fierce groundstrokes and unflinching political convictions have made her a symbol of national resilience far beyond the baseline. Born in Kyiv to a tennis family and forged by the 2022 Russian invasion of her homeland, she has transformed from a teenage prodigy into a top-15 player who refuses to separate sport from geopolitics. Whether she is winning her first WTA 1000 title or refusing handshakes with Russian opponents, Kostyuk plays every match with the weight of a nation on her shoulders.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Marta Olehivna Kostyuk was born on June 28, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine, into a family where tennis was the family business. Her father, Oleh Kostyuk, served as the technical director of the Antey Cup, a junior tennis tournament in Kyiv, while her mother, Talina Beiko, was a former professional tennis player who reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 391 in the 1990s and later became a coach. Marta has two older sisters, Mariya and Zoryana, and grew up surrounded by the sport from her earliest years.

Marta started playing tennis at the Antey Tennis Club at age five, initially drawn to the sport because she wanted more time with her mother, who was coaching other children. What began as a daughter’s desire for attention evolved into a serious professional ambition. Talina coached Marta personally during her formative years, instilling both technical skill and emotional resilience. Marta has spoken movingly about her mother’s sacrifices, calling her “one of the strongest people I know” and crediting her with teaching the most important lessons off the court: “to speak my language proudly, to help where I can, and to never forget who I stand for.”

She later trained at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France, the same facility that has produced numerous Grand Slam champions, where she continues to prepare during off-seasons.

Career Journey

Junior Sensation and Early Professional Breakthrough (2016–2021)

Kostyuk’s precocious talent was evident from the start. In 2017, at just 14 years old, she won the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open, defeating Rebeka Masarová in the final. She also won the ITF Junior Masters in Chengdu, China, and rose as high as No. 3 in the junior rankings.

She made her professional debut in 2016 at a $10k ITF event in Kharkiv and turned heads in 2018 when she received a wildcard into the Australian Open qualifying and became the first player born in 2002 to compete in a Grand Slam main draw. She won three qualifying matches and reached the third round, defeating Peng Shuai and Olivia Rogowska before falling to Elina Svitolina.

By 2021, she had broken into the Top 100, reaching the third round of the US Open and the semifinals at Abu Dhabi for her first WTA 500 semifinal. She also won her first WTA doubles title at Portorož with Tereza Martincová.

Maiden Title and Top 20 Breakthrough (2022–2024)

The 2022 season brought her first WTA singles title at the ATX Open in Austin, where she defeated Varvara Gracheva in the final. She also reached the third round at Wimbledon, defeating former champion Maria Sakkari for her first Top 10 win. In 2023, she won the Birmingham doubles title with Barbora Krejčíková and reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 27.

The 2024 season was a watershed year. She reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, defeating Elise Mertens, Elina Avanesyan, and Maria Timofeeva before falling to Coco Gauff. She also reached the semifinals at Indian Wells, her first WTA 1000 semifinal, and broke into the Top 20 for the first time on May 6, 2024. She represented Ukraine at the Paris Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals in singles and the second round in doubles with Dayana Yastremska.

Career Peak: WTA 1000 Champion and Roland Garros Semifinalist (2025–2026)

The 2025 season saw Kostyuk consolidate her position in the elite, with three WTA 1000 quarterfinals (Doha, Madrid, Montreal) and a fourth-round run at the US Open. She finished the year ranked inside the Top 20.

2026 has been her most successful year to date. She captured her maiden WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open in May, defeating Mirra Andreeva 6–3, 7–5 in the final. The victory was historic: she became the first Ukrainian woman to win a WTA 1000 title and celebrated with a rare backflip on court. She arrived at the French Open with a 17-match winning streak on clay, the longest on the WTA Tour that season.

At Roland Garros 2026, she defeated Elina Svitolina in a historic first-ever all-Ukrainian Grand Slam quarterfinal, winning in three sets to become the first Ukrainian in the Open Era to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros. In a tearful on-court interview, she dedicated the match to the Ukrainian people: “We had a very difficult night again in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv. So many people dead. And I want to give this match to Ukrainian people and to their resilience.”

She ultimately fell to Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals, 1–6, 3–6, ending her remarkable clay-court run, but not before cementing her status as Ukraine’s most accomplished clay-court player in history.

Career Stats Summary

Personal Life

Marriage to Heorhii Sudakov

Marta married Ukrainian footballer Heorhii Sudakov on November 1, 2023, in a private ceremony at the Minthis Resort in Paphos, Cyprus. The couple had announced their engagement in March 2023, shortly after Marta won her maiden WTA title in Austin. Heorhii plays as a midfielder for Shakhtar Donetsk and the Ukrainian national team.

The wedding was attended by close friends, family, and several WTA peers including Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Lesia Tsurenko. Marta wore a custom Wilson wedding dress—a unique collaboration with her equipment sponsor that reflected both her athletic identity and personal style. The dress featured a removable silk overdress adorned with flowers, which she wore for the ceremony and removed for the reception. She later told Vogue that she wanted the dress to be “easy and really functional,” and Wilson’s VP of sportswear design described it as “the most technical wedding dress ever” that she could theoretically “play a match in.”

The couple exchanged Tiffany wedding rings and departed the ceremony in a vintage car. In July 2024, Marta returned to Wimbledon wearing a tennis dress inspired by her wedding gown, which Wilson later released as “The Marta Dress” for retail.

Family and Values

Marta remains extremely close to her family, particularly her mother Talina, who continues to serve as a source of strength and guidance. After the 2022 invasion, she spoke about how the war forced her to reconsider her relationship with tennis: “Tennis is not the center of my life, it’s just what I do for a living… The war made me realize that I could do many things.” She credited her work with Wilson on fashion collections with opening her eyes to design and creative possibilities beyond the court.

Hobbies and Interests

Off the court, Marta is passionate about fashion design, dog training, and charity work. She regularly posts photos of her dog, whom she takes to tournaments and training sessions. She launched the Marta Kostyuk Foundation on her 21st birthday in 2023, dedicated to supporting children in Ukraine through tennis and welfare programs.

Controversies

The Handshake Stance

Kostyuk’s most prominent controversy is her refusal to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The stance has made her one of the most politically outspoken athletes in tennis.

The first major incident occurred at the 2022 US Open, when she declined to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka of Belarus after their second-round match, instead offering a perfunctory tap of racquets. The moment drew significant media attention and polarized opinion, with some praising her principled stand and others criticizing the breach of tennis etiquette.

At the 2023 French Open, she was booed by the Paris crowd after refusing to shake hands with Aryna Sabalenka following their first-round match. Sabalenka later stated that “no one in this world, Russian or Belarusian athletes, supports the war,” though Kostyuk maintained that silence was complicity.

She has maintained this position consistently. At the 2026 Madrid Open final, she again refused to shake hands with Mirra Andreeva, walking directly to the umpire instead. At the 2026 Brisbane International final, she refused to acknowledge Aryna Sabalenka after their match, using her post-match interview to highlight the plight of Ukrainians suffering through a harsh winter.

Kostyuk has clarified that she makes one exception: Daria Kasatkina, who changed her sporting nationality to Australia and publicly condemned the war. “The only person I shake hands with is Daria Kasatkina because she not only changed her passport, but she also openly stated that she doesn’t support the war,” Kostyuk explained.

The Testosterone Comment

In late 2025, Kostyuk was quoted as suggesting that players like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek had a competitive advantage due to higher testosterone levels. The comment sparked backlash, particularly when Sabalenka kissed both biceps while looking at Kostyuk after defeating her in Brisbane. Kostyuk later claimed she had been misquoted and refused to apologize, stating, “If I had said something wrong, I never have a problem to apologise… But this was not the case at all.”

Awards & Achievements

• WTA Singles Titles: 3 (2023 Austin, 2026 Rouen, 2026 Madrid)
• WTA Doubles Titles: 2 (2022 Portorož, 2023 Birmingham)
• WTA 125 Doubles Title: 2022 Limoges
• Junior Australian Open Champion: 2017 (girls’ singles)
• ITF Junior Masters Champion: 2017
• First Ukrainian WTA 1000 Champion: Madrid 2026
• First Ukrainian Roland Garros Semifinalist: 2026
• First Player Born in 2002 to Reach a Grand Slam Main Draw: 2018 Australian Open
• Olympic Quarterfinalist: 2024 Paris
• Fed Cup Semifinalist: 2025

Physical Statistics

Quotes

• “I want to give this match to Ukrainian people and to their resilience. Thank you.” — After defeating Elina Svitolina in the historic all-Ukrainian Roland Garros quarterfinal, June 2026.
• “The biggest thing I can do is sit here and talk about it, so more people can find out about it so they don’t get used to this terrible life.” — On using her platform to keep awareness of the war alive.
• “Tennis is not the center of my life, it’s just what I do for a living. The war made me realize that I could do many things.” — On re-evaluating her priorities after the 2022 invasion.
• “I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now, it’s minus-20 degrees outside right now, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.” — Brisbane International post-match interview, January 2026.
• “My mom taught me the most important things off the court: to speak my language proudly, to help where I can, and to never forget who I stand for. ‘Being a good person,’ she said, ‘will always matter more than being a good player.'” — Instagram tribute to her mother.

Favorites

Earnings

Kostyuk has built significant wealth through tournament success and strategic endorsements, with her financial profile accelerating as she entered the Top 20.

• Career Prize Money: $9,126,270 as of June 2026.
• 2025 Prize Money: Approximately $1.7 million from tournament winnings alone.
• Net Worth: Estimated at $6 million as of 2025–2026.
• Endorsements: Wilson Sporting Goods (rackets, apparel, custom designs) and Nike (footwear and additional apparel).
• Monthly Income: Estimated at approximately $345,000 during peak earning periods.
• Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco, a popular tax-efficient base for professional tennis players.

Interesting Facts

• Marta is the first Ukrainian woman to win a WTA 1000 title (Madrid 2026).
• She is the first Ukrainian in the Open Era to reach the Roland Garros semifinals.
• She was the first player born in 2002 to compete in a Grand Slam main draw (2018 Australian Open).
• Her Wilson wedding dress was so technically advanced that the designer claimed she could “jump in the ocean” wearing it.
• She turned off news notifications about the war because the constant updates prevented her from sleeping.
• She and her husband Heorhii Sudakov met as children playing sports in Ukraine, reconnected in October 2022, and married just over a year later.
• She has a 17-match clay-court winning streak in 2026, the longest on the WTA Tour that season.
• She is one of only three Ukrainians ever to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, joining Elina Svitolina and Dayana Yastremska.

Did You Know Already?

• Marta Kostyuk won her first WTA title in Austin, Texas, in 2023, the same week she announced her engagement to Heorhii Sudakov.
• She was booed by the Roland Garros crowd in 2023 for refusing to shake Aryna Sabalenka’s hand.
• Her mother, Talina Beiko, represented Ukraine in the Fed Cup in 1995 and won two ITF singles titles.
• She launched her charitable foundation on her 21st birthday in 2023.
• She is the only Ukrainian player to defeat Mirra Andreeva in a WTA 1000 final (Madrid 2026), though Andreeva got revenge in the Roland Garros semifinals weeks later.

Social Media Links

• Instagram: @martakostyuk
• X (Twitter): @marta_kostyuk
• Facebook: @koostyuk

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Marta Kostyuk?
Marta Kostyuk is 24 years old. She was born on June 28, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine.

How tall is Marta Kostyuk?
She stands at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) and weighs approximately 130 pounds (59 kg).

Who is Marta Kostyuk’s husband?
She is married to Heorhii Sudakov, a Ukrainian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Shakhtar Donetsk. They wed on November 1, 2023, in Cyprus.

What is Marta Kostyuk’s ranking?
As of June 2026, she is ranked world No. 12 in WTA singles, her career-high. She has also reached No. 27 in doubles.

What is Marta Kostyuk’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth is $6 million, built from over $9.1 million in career prize money and endorsements with Wilson and Nike.

Why does Marta Kostyuk refuse to shake hands with Russian players?
Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kostyuk has refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents as a political protest. She makes an exception for Daria Kasatkina, who publicly condemned the war and changed her sporting nationality to Australia.

How many titles has Marta Kostyuk won?
She has won three WTA singles titles (Austin 2023, Rouen 2026, Madrid 2026) and two WTA doubles titles (Portorož 2022, Birmingham 2023).

What is Marta Kostyuk’s best Grand Slam result?
Her best Grand Slam result is reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2026, where she lost to Mirra Andreeva.

Conclusion

Marta Kostyuk’s story is one of extraordinary talent forged in extraordinary circumstances. She has transformed from a tennis prodigy in Kyiv into a symbol of Ukrainian resilience on the world stage, refusing to compartmentalize her sport from the war devastating her homeland. Her 2026 breakthrough—winning Madrid, reaching the Roland Garros semifinals, and cementing herself in the Top 15—proves that conviction and excellence can coexist. Whether she is designing wedding dresses with Wilson, refusing handshakes with political purpose, or breaking down in tears while dedicating victories to her people, Kostyuk plays every point as if something larger than tennis is at stake. Because for her, it is. If this biography deepened your understanding of her journey, share it with fellow tennis fans and let us know where you think her ceiling lies.