Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk expressed strong disapproval of world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka's behavior during their intense semifinal clash at the prestigious Madrid tournament.
The controversy erupted during a critical tiebreak in the second set when Sabalenka, after losing a point on her first serve, complained to the chair umpire about rain conditions and retreated to her rest area. The umpire subsequently announced that the arena roof would be closed and granted Sabalenka a first serve do-over, a decision that visibly frustrated the Ukrainian player.
Kostyuk, clearly displeased with the ruling, engaged in a heated discussion with the referee before turning to her team. Cameras caught her remarking, 'She will never win a sportsmanship award, that's for sure,' referring to her Belarusian opponent.
Despite the contentious atmosphere, Sabalenka managed to secure victory in straight sets with identical 7:6, 7:6 scorelines. According to Statbet analysis, this type of controversy in high-stakes matches can significantly impact players' mental performance, often creating momentum shifts that affect match outcomes.
With this win, Sabalenka advances to face Ukraine's top-ranked player Elina Svitolina in the final. Svitolina has been making headlines of her own at the Madrid tournament, setting impressive records en route to her semifinal appearance.
