Iga Świątek is at the center of Marta Kostyuk's thoughts as the Ukrainian reflects on her challenges playing top-ranked tennis players.
What happened?
Marta Kostyuk did an interview with Tennis 365 at the Wuhan Open in China, discussing her experiences playing against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and world No. 2 Iga Świątek.
The outlet initially inserted questions it had not actually asked Kostyuk, and omitted part of her answer about playing against Sabalenka and Świątek.
Why it matters for Iga Świątek
Kostyuk's comments were criticized, but Tennis 365 later acknowledged that it had not actually asked Kostyuk the question it had used in its original piece.
Iga Świątek, 24, has a strong record against Kostyuk, with a 3-0 head-to-head advantage and zero sets lost.
What comes next?
Marta Kostyuk has lost two tight matches to Aryna Sabalenka in 2025, with three of four sets played going to a tiebreak.
Kostyuk's overall head-to-head record against both players stands at 0-4 vs. Sabalenka, 27, and 0-3 vs. Świątek.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian has not played Świątek in 2025, but will likely face her again in future tournaments.
And Świątek will be looking to maintain her dominance over Kostyuk.
So the pressure is on Kostyuk to improve her game and challenge Świątek.
But Świątek's strong record against Kostyuk makes her a tough opponent to beat.
Kostyuk's comments about Świątek and Sabalenka's physical advantages, including their height and strength, highlight the challenges she faces.
Świątek's ranking and Grand Slam wins make her a top player in the tennis world.