Marta Kostyuk withdraws from the Rome Open after impressive streak.

Marta Kostyuk, the rising star of world tennis, has just announced a bombshell decision that is shaking up the circuit: the young Ukrainian will withdraw from the Rome Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments of the season, due to physical issues that threaten her impressive winning streak. Following a truly overwhelming performance with 11 consecutive victories, this news comes as a shock to fans and experts who already envisioned her dominating in the Italian capital as well.

At 23 years old, Marta Kostyuk is experiencing a career phase that few can match. After an excellent start to the year, highlighted by a final in Brisbane, the tennis player was sidelined by injuries that kept her out of important tournaments in preparation for the clay-court season. However, her response was that of a champion: at the Rouen Open, she entered as the top favorite and did not disappoint, winning the title brilliantly and dropping only two sets throughout the tournament.

But it was at the Madrid Open that Kostyuk truly exploded. Known for her reluctance towards this tournament, the Ukrainian exceeded all expectations. She eliminated Jessica Pegula with impressive authority, handed Linda Noskova a “bagel,” and even after losing the first set against Anastasia Potapova in the semi-finals, she managed to turn the match around in an intense duel. In the final, she entered as the underdog against Mirra Andreeva, but finished the match as champion, claiming her first WTA 1000 title and reaching 15th place in the world rankings, a new personal best.

However, Kostyuk’s dream of extending this moment of glory in Rome has faded. The athlete herself revealed in an emotional Instagram post that her body is asking for rest: “This one hurts. After the best period of my career, I was looking forward to Rome. But, sometimes the body has other plans. In recent days, I’ve been dealing with a hip injury. With my ankle still far from ideal, it doesn’t make sense to keep pushing. So, I won’t be competing this year.”

The Ukrainian also emphasized the emotional weight of this decision: “It hurts even more because Rome is a special place for me. The fans, the atmosphere, and of course, the food. I have incredible memories here and I love coming back. I’m sad not to be present, but I’ll see you next year. Now it’s time to recover and prepare for Paris. Thank you for all the love.”

With Roland Garros starting on May 24, this strategic pause could be crucial to ensure the best physical condition for the French Grand Slam. Although she has only made it past the second round once, in 2021, when she reached the fourth round, Marta Kostyuk is now being seen as one of the contenders for a deep run in Paris, thanks to her meteoric rise and current form.

Marta Kostyuk’s withdrawal from the Rome Open is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about topics this week in the world of tennis, highlighting that even rising stars are not immune to physical exhaustion. The focus now is on a swift recovery and a potential breakout performance at the tournament that could define the young Ukrainian’s future on the international stage. All eyes will be on her at Roland Garros, where she could write the next chapter of her career in an epic fashion.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.