Tennis player Kostyuk defeats Kessler in a thrilling match across three sets, securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
Marta Kostyuk Storms into Quarterfinals at Banque Nationale Tennis Tournament
Marta Kostyuk, the 23-year-old Ukrainian tennis star, secured her place in the quarterfinals of the Banque Nationale Tennis Tournament with a hard-fought victory over American McCartney Kessler. The match, played on Saturday afternoon at IGA Stadium's center court, saw Kostyuk come from behind to claim a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 victory.
The first set was a tight affair, with Kessler taking a 2-0 lead early on. Kostyuk, however, fought back and managed to level the set at 5-5. Kessler, though, won the next two games to take the set 7-5. Kostyuk's serve proved to be her Achilles heel in the first set, as she committed seven double faults.
The second set was a different story for Kostyuk. She won 10 out of 12 points on her serve, while Kessler struggled, committing 12 double faults and failing to land an ace. Kostyuk's improved play saw her take the second set 6-3.
In the decisive third set, Kostyuk continued her impressive form, winning 13 out of 14 points on her serve. Kessler, on the other hand, managed to win only 3 out of 14 points on Kostyuk's serve. Kostyuk converted four of her 13 break point opportunities during the match, while Kessler could not capitalise on any of the six break point chances she had.
Kostyuk's only ace of the match came late in the third set, while Kessler failed to land an ace throughout the match. The windy conditions seemed to affect both players' serves, with Kostyuk committing 10 double faults and Kessler committing 12.
With the victory, Kostyuk improved her record in the tournament and reached the quarterfinals. In the next round, she will face the winner of the match between Dayana Yastremska and Elena Rybakina. Yastremska, seeded 30th, will take on Rybakina, seeded 9th, in a highly anticipated clash.
Kostyuk, ranked 24th, has been showing promising results on the WTA Tour. She made her WTA main draw debut in 2018 at the Australian Open and reached the third round as a qualifier. Since then, she has won one singles title and two doubles titles and has earned over $6 million in prize money. As of late July 2025, she is ranked around 28 in singles and 86 in doubles.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for Monday, and Kostyuk will be looking to continue her impressive run at the Banque Nationale Tennis Tournament. With her resilience and competitive spirit, she is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the tournament.
Sporting excellence continued to shine at the Banque Nationale Tennis Tournament as Marta Kostyuk, a passionate tennis enthusiast, prepares for the quarterfinals. On Monday, she aims to excel in the game of tennis, a sport she holds dear to her heart.
