Marta Kostyuk: Biography, Ranking, and Sabalenka Tension

There aren’t many tennis matches where the moment after the final point carries more weight than the match itself. When Marta Kostyuk faced Aryna Sabalenka in the Brisbane International final in January 2026, the absence of a handshake set off a conversation far beyond the baseline.

Career-High Ranking: No. 12 (June 8, 2026) · Coach: Sandra Zaniewska · Instagram Followers: 708,000 · Training Bases: Monaco and Kiev · Nationality: Ukrainian

Seven biographical items, and the pattern is clear: Kostyuk’s story blends measurable achievement with a personal and political dimension that few players her age carry.

Who is the husband of Marta Kostyuk?

The short answer: Marta Kostyuk has not publicly confirmed a husband. Despite being in the public eye since her teenage years — she burst onto the scene as a qualifier at the 2018 Australian Open — she keeps her romantic life private. What is known about her family: she was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 28, 2002, to father Oleg and has two sisters, Zoryana and Mariya (Wikipedia (encyclopedic player profile)).

Is Marta Kostyuk married?

No credible source has reported that Kostyuk is married. Speculation online occasionally surfaces, but her representatives have not issued any statements regarding a spouse. For a player who uses her platform to speak openly about geopolitics and humanitarian issues, the silence on marital status appears to be a deliberate boundary.

Personal life of Marta Kostyuk

• Born June 28, 2002, in Kyiv, Ukraine
• Father Oleg; two sisters, Zoryana and Mariya
• Training bases in Monaco and Kiev, splitting time between both
• Fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, and English

Kostyuk’s privacy choices reflect a broader trend among athletes controlling their narratives.

What happened between Sabalenka and Kostyuk?

The Brisbane International final on January 7, 2026, was the fifth career meeting between Marta Kostyuk and Aryna Sabalenka — and Sabalenka had won all five (ABC News (Australian public broadcaster)). But this match was different, and not because of the tennis.

Tension at the Brisbane International final

Kostyuk, seeded No. 16, had fought through a brutal draw, defeating No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova — her third career top-3 win (WTA (official women’s tennis tour)) — before taking down Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula to reach the final. Sabalenka won the championship match 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour and 17 minutes (YouTube (tennis highlights and recap channel)).

What drew worldwide attention was the post-match dynamic. Kostyuk maintains a policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian competitors following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tournament organizers went so far as to announce there would be no joint pre-match photo opportunity for the two players to “avoid misunderstandings”.

Off-court remarks

After the match, Sabalenka described the reception as “cold” but added that it was the Ukrainian players’ position and that it did not bother her. Kostyuk, meanwhile, used her post-match interview to draw attention to the struggles of Ukrainians during a harsh winter. She later said she had been misquoted regarding earlier comments and described the Brisbane situation as “sad”.

“It’s the Ukrainian players’ position and it doesn’t bother me.”

— Aryna Sabalenka, on Kostyuk’s handshake policy, via ABC News (Australian public broadcaster)

“It’s sad that this is where we are. The focus should be on the war and the suffering of Ukrainians.”

— Marta Kostyuk, after the Brisbane final, via ABC News (Australian public broadcaster)

Where does Marta Kostyuk live now?

Marta Kostyuk currently splits her time between Monaco and Kiev, maintaining training bases in both locations. This dual-residence setup allows her to access world-class training facilities in Monaco while staying connected to her home country, where her foundation operates and where much of her family remains.

Current training bases

• Monaco: primary training base during the European clay and grass seasons
• Kiev: home base where she trains when not on tour and where her foundation runs youth programs

Residence in Monaco and Kiev

The arrangement is practical: Monaco offers tax advantages and year-round training weather, while Kiev keeps her grounded in the community she represents. This split is common among top Ukrainian athletes who want to compete at the highest level without severing ties to their homeland.

This dual-life arrangement allows Kostyuk to compete globally while staying rooted in her identity.

What is Marta Kostyuk’s Instagram handle?

Kostyuk’s official Instagram handle is @martakostyuk, where she has accumulated 708,000 followers as of mid-2026. The account blends tennis updates with personal posts and advocacy content related to Ukraine.

Instagram follower count

With 708,000 followers, Kostyuk ranks among the most-followed Ukrainian tennis players on the platform. Her engagement rate is notably high during major tournaments and whenever she posts about humanitarian causes.

Content on Instagram

• Match highlights and training footage
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses of life on tour
• Posts supporting the Marta Kostyuk Foundation and Ukrainian relief efforts
• Personal moments with family and friends

Kostyuk uses her Instagram platform to balance tennis promotion with personal advocacy, a strategy that resonates with her growing follower base.

Who coaches Marta Kostyuk?

Marta Kostyuk is currently coached by Sandra Zaniewska, a former Polish professional player who took over the role in 2023. Zaniewska, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 145 in singles during her own playing days, also works with Kostyuk alongside Talina Beiko (Wikipedia (encyclopedic player profile)).

Current coach Sandra Zaniewska

Zaniewska brings a tactical, defense-to-offense coaching style that has helped Kostyuk refine her game. Under Zaniewska’s guidance, Kostyuk broke into the world’s top 20 and reached her career-high of No. 12.

Training arrangement

• Primary coach: Sandra Zaniewska (since 2023)
• Additional coaching support: Talina Beiko
• Training locations: Monaco and Kiev

The trade-off: Zaniewska’s defensive-oriented approach has made Kostyuk one of the toughest players to beat from the baseline, but it has also drawn criticism from analysts who want to see more aggressive shot-making in big moments. The results, however, speak for themselves — a top-12 ranking is proof the system works.

Timeline

• January 2026 — Tension-filled Brisbane International final vs Aryna Sabalenka; Kostyuk reaches her first WTA final in 21 months (ABC News (Australian public broadcaster))
• June 8, 2026 — Achieves career-high singles ranking of No. 12 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic player profile))

The tension between Kostyuk and Sabalenka, which escalated during the Brisbane final, is explored in detail in this analysis of the handshake controversy with Sabalenka.

Frequently asked questions

For Kostyuk’s Ukrainian fans watching from a country enduring its second wartime winter, the choice is clear: she represents them on a global stage, using every platform — the court, the microphone, Instagram — to keep the world’s attention on their struggle. For tennis purists who wish politics would stay off the court, the tension is equally clear: Kostyuk has made her stance inseparable from her game, and that is not changing. The question now is whether the WTA and tournament organizers will continue to adapt to a new reality where the handshake is no longer automatic — and whether Kostyuk’s blend of advocacy and athleticism will inspire the next generation of Ukrainian players to follow her path.

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