Kostyuk exits Guadalajara WTA 500 after dramatic three-set defeat to Russian — video
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Marta Kostyuk (Photo: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)
Top seed Marta Kostyuk was eliminated from the Guadalajara Open quarterfinals after losing a three-set thriller to Liudmila Samsonova, WTA reported on Sept. 18.
Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk missed out on a semifinal berth at the WTA 500 tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, falling in three tight sets to Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova. The quarterfinal encounter stretched for two hours and 30 minutes.
Kostyuk surrendered an early break in the opening set before immediately leveling the scoreline. Both competitors struggled with early consistency, but the Ukrainian capitalized on a key break opportunity to secure the opening frame 6–4.
Samsonova dominated the second set from the outset, charging to a commanding 4–0 lead. While Kostyuk attempted to mount a comeback, 24 unforced errors throughout the set undermined her momentum as Samsonova leveled the match 6–2.
The deciding set featured intense baseline exchanges, with nearly every service game pushed to deuce. Kostyuk seized the upper hand by breaking Samsonova to build a 4–2 lead, but could not consolidate the advantage. Capitalizing on consecutive unforced mistakes from the Ukrainian, Samsonova rallied to win five of the final six games, sealing the third set 7–5.
Match Statistics
Kostyuk: Hit 3 aces, committed 6 double faults, and converted 4 break points.
Samsonova: Recorded 0 aces, hit 6 double faults, and broke Kostyuk's serve 6 times.
The defeat marks Kostyuk's fifth career encounter against Samsonova, leaving the Ukrainian still searching for her first victory against the Russian opponent (0–5 head-to-head).
With the quarterfinal exit, Kostyuk missed a direct opportunity to rise to world No. 9 in the live WTA singles rankings and overtake Poland's Iga Swiatek.
Entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed, Kostyuk received a first-round bye. Ahead of her scheduled second-round match, her designated American opponent Taylor Townsend withdrew from the draw to undergo emergency surgery.
Final Score: Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) — Liudmila Samsonova (-) 6–4, 2–6, 5–7
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