Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk recently appeared to take a subtle dig at world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
In an interview, the world No. 27 hinted that the top players’ “testosterone” levels might be influencing the sport’s rankings.
Sabalenka seemingly clapped back at the claims by sharing a series of racy photos on Instagram.
Highlights
- 23-year-old Marta Kostyuk sparks controversy by hinting that top players’ “testosterone levels” affect tennis rankings.
- “There are many, many things I can do to be better, but they have an advantage over me,” Kostyuk claimed.
- Aryna Sabalenka claps back at the “insulting” accusations with a glamorous and racy social media post.
“Women are insanely jealous of each other…” one social media user remarked following the interview.
Marta Kostyuk recently made some controversial remarks about the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 tennis pros
Image credits: aratayamaoka / martakostyuk / Instagram
According to the World Tennis Association (WTA) profiles, the Ukrainian athlete stands at about 5-foot-9.
Swiatek from Poland shares the same height, while Aryna from Belarus is 5-foot-11, two inches taller than both.
During her match at the Wuhan Open in Wuhan, Hubei, China, the 23-year-old opened up about why she believes she’s at a disadvantage compared to the top two players.
Image credits: Robert Prange / Getty Images
Referring to their physical build and “biological structure,” Marta admitted that she often feels smaller in comparison.
In an interview published on October 19, the player told Tennis 365, “We all have our own biological structure. Some have a higher level of testosterone, some have lower. It’s just natural, and that definitely helps. I feel smaller than them.”
Sabalenka stands two inches taller than both Marta and Iga Swiatek, who are each 5-foot-9
Image credits: martakostyuk / Instagram
Marta and Sabalenka have competed against each other twice this year at the Round of 16 at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and in the quarterfinals at the Madrid Open.
In both matches, the 27-year-old defeated Marta.
Highlighting the challenges that come when facing off both the players, Marta shared, “I try to see how I can beat these players with the tennis skills I have, but I have to work harder to win the points. I have to run a lot more than them to win points.”
Image credits: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
“Against Iga, when I have played her, I wasn’t ready to play her at all. I played her over a year ago, and she was very strong. With Aryna, I know it is a tough battle.”
The athlete also revealed how, despite having the skills necessary for the demanding sport, “at the end of the day, they are all much bigger than me, much taller than me, much stronger than me.”
“We all have our own biological structure. Some have a higher level of testosterone, some have lower,” Marta said in an interview
Image credits: Robert Prange / Getty Images
Apart from the physical factor, Marta also opened up about the emotional toll of the sport, something she believes her fellow players have managed better than her.
“Their confidence is just different. I have played some close matches against Aryna, and you see how she plays the break points. She just doesn’t care. She has no doubt that she will save them. She hits a big serve and hits the forehand. No doubt.”
Image credits: iga.swiatek / Instagram
“She is No. 1 in the world, she has played a lot of finals, and she has that confidence. That helps her to have no doubts. For me, it is not so easy to play without doubt. It is an interesting sport and I’m enjoying the journey of trying to figure it out.”
Marta concluded the interview by emphasizing that while she cannot change her physical build, she has accepted that Aryna and Iga hold a natural “advantage.”
“It’s just part of the sport and a very cool challenge for me to take on these players. There are many, many things I can do to be better, but they have an advantage on me.”
Aryna Sabalenka seemingly clapped back at the accusations with a series of bikini snaps on social media
Image credits: si.robi / Gastón Cuello / Wikipedia
However, Kostyuk’s statement didn’t sit well with netizens, who slammed her for making “insulting” remarks about the other players.
“This girl has a weak argument and is really insulting to the other tennis players,” wrote one netizen.
Another commented, “When you're a failure..... Marta looks for excuses to justify her failure as a player.”
Image credits: si.robi / Wikipedia
The 2025 US Open winner, meanwhile, was recently vacationing with her bestie Paula Badosa in Dubai, just before the season-ending WTA Finals kick off in Riyadh on November 1.
As Marta's testosterone comments sparked a heated debate online, Aryna appeared to respond with a series of glamorous bikini snaps from the five-star Atlantis The Royal resort.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian athlete is currently ranked 27th in the world, according to WTA
Image credits: arynasabalenka / Instagram
The post was captioned, “Much-needed girls’ day with my bestie.”
In the carousel of images, the tennis ace sported a colorful floral bikini, her hair left down with minimal soft makeup.
In one photo, she posed on a white marble slab in her hotel room with a breathtaking view of the ocean and a pink sunset sky.
Image credits: vogue_ukraine / martakostyuk / Instagram
In another, Aryna leaned against a white wall, holding up the strings of her bikini bottom as she looked away, striking a model-like pose.
In a third snap, she wore a butter-yellow bikini, facing away from the camera with her back on display as she stood in a garden area.
Image credits: Hameltion / Wikipedia
“It's important to remember that tennis is ultimately about skill, strategy, and mental toughness. Physical differences can play a role, but dedication and preparation matter most,” echoed one netizen.
Social media users weren’t having it, accusing Marta of trying to downplay the talent and skill of the other top players
