An Unusual Path to the Quarter-Finals
Marta Kostyuk has had quite the week in Guadalajara, reaching the quarter-finals of the Guadalajara Open Akron without once stepping onto the court competitively. The Ukrainian, seeded first in the draw, received a first-round bye and then benefited from a walkover when American Taylor Townsend pulled out of their scheduled second-round encounter on Wednesday due to illness. It is a rare scenario at a WTA 1000 event, and Kostyuk now arrives in the quarter-finals completely fresh but entirely without match rhythm.
A Big Test Awaits Against Samsonova
That freshness will be tested immediately. Kostyuk is set to face eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, who had to grind out a tough three-set victory over Kayla Day, winning 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 in a match that stretched both players. Samsonova arrives with competitive sharpness; Kostyuk arrives rested. It sets up a fascinating contrast.
For Kostyuk, 24, this tournament comes on the back of a remarkable 2024 season. She captured her first WTA 1000 title in Madrid back in May, then made deep runs at the French Open and Wimbledon, reaching the semi-finals at both Grand Slam events. Her most recent result was a fourth-round exit at the US Open at Flushing Meadows, where she fell to sixth seed Linda Noskova. With that pedigree and momentum behind her, Kostyuk remains a serious contender in Guadalajara regardless of her unconventional route to the last eight. TennisDraw users had Kostyuk as one of the most selected picks to go deep in this draw.
