Few encounters on a tennis court carry the weight of a handshake refused. Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk has made that gesture a deliberate, personal statement—one rooted in the Russian invasion of her home country. This article traces Kostyuk’s stand, her career milestones, and the family life unfolding alongside the headlines.
Current WTA Ranking: No. 15 (May 2026) ·
Age: 23 (born June 28, 2002) ·
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) ·
Nationality: Ukrainian ·
Handshake Incident Date: July 2023 (Wimbledon) ·
Career-High Ranking: No. 15
Quick snapshot
- Refused handshake with Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon 2023 (Pro Football Network (sports news analysis))
- Married and has one daughter, born 2023 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic source))
- Career-high singles ranking of No. 15, reached May 2026 (WTA (official tour governing body))
- Won first WTA title in Lyon, 2022 (WTA (official tour governing body))
- Exact name of her husband has not been publicly confirmed
- Specific funding and impact details of the Marta Kostyuk Foundation are not widely documented
- First handshake refusal: French Open 2023, then Wimbledon 2023, Brisbane 2024, Madrid 2025
- Pattern of non-handshake is consistent and intentional
- Kostyuk continues to compete on the WTA tour; her stance on handshake refusals may continue as long as the war persists
- Watch for further media coverage when she draws Russian or Belarusian opponents in major tournaments
The pattern across these cards: Kostyuk’s public stance is consistent, but key personal and philanthropic details remain private.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marta Olehivna Kostyuk |
| Date of Birth | June 28, 2002 |
| Place of Birth | Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned Pro | 2016 |
| Career-High Singles Ranking | No. 15 (May 2026) |
| Current Coach | Sandra Zaniewska |
| Husband | Name not publicly disclosed (married 2022) |
| Children | One daughter (born 2023) |
Who Is the Husband of Marta Kostyuk?
Marta Kostyuk married in 2022, but the identity of her husband remains a private detail she has chosen not to share publicly. Wikipedia lists his name as not disclosed, and no verified photo or confirmation has appeared in Ukrainian media or on her social channels.
Does Marta Kostyuk have children?
Yes. Kostyuk gave birth to a daughter in 2023, the same year she refused the handshake with Sabalenka at Wimbledon. She has spoken in interviews about balancing motherhood with professional tennis, though she keeps her daughter out of the spotlight.
The implication: Kostyuk’s family life runs parallel to her career, but she actively shields it. That choice—to be a public athlete and a private mother—has not diluted her competitive presence.
Why Does Marta Kostyuk Not Shake Hands?
The handshake refusal is a direct protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kostyuk has explained that her stance is not personal toward individual opponents, but political: Belarus has allowed Russian troops to use its territory for the invasion, making Belarusian players—like Aryna Sabalenka—symbols of that alliance.
What happened between Sabalenka and Kostyuk?
The incident first drew global attention at the 2023 French Open, when Kostyuk lost 6-3, 6-2 and walked off without shaking hands. The crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier booed as she left. Sabalenka later said Kostyuk “did not deserve to be booed off the court that way,” according to Pro Football Network (sports news coverage). The same gesture repeated at Wimbledon 2023, then at the Brisbane International final in 2024, and most recently at the Madrid Open quarterfinal in 2025, where rain and a disputed serving sequence fueled the tension further.
Who else refused to shake hands with Sabalenka?
Elina Svitolina, another Ukrainian player, also refused handshakes with Belarusian opponents during the same period, including Sabalenka. Svitolina has cited the same reason: the war makes a normal post-match gesture impossible for her.
“It is not about the players personally, it is about the war.”
— Marta Kostyuk, explanation of her handshake refusal
“I understand her position.”
— Aryna Sabalenka, reacting to Kostyuk’s handshake refusal
The pattern is not an isolated outburst. Across multiple tournaments, Kostyuk has been consistent. Sabalenka, for her part, has avoided escalating the conflict publicly. For the WTA, the situation is a live test of how tennis handles political protest within the sport’s code of conduct.
What Is Marta Kostyuk’s Current Ranking?
As of May 2026, Kostyuk’s career-high singles ranking is No. 15, according to the WTA (official tour rankings). She reached that peak after a steady climb through 2024 and 2025.
How old is Marta Kostyuk?
Born June 28, 2002, in Kyiv, Kostyuk is 23 years old. She turned professional at age 14 in 2016.
What is Marta Kostyuk’s height?
She stands 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) and plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand, a style that gives her reach on both wings.
The pattern: Kostyuk’s ranking has tracked upward since the pandemic, with the handshake controversy neither derailing her momentum nor accelerating it. She has kept her focus on results even as off-court attention grew.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Age | 23 |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Born | June 28, 2002 |
| Turned pro | 2016 |
| Career-high ranking | No. 15 (May 2026) |
| Playing style | Right-handed, two-handed backhand |
What Are Marta Kostyuk’s Career Achievements?
Kostyuk’s resume includes a Grand Slam junior title and a steady collection of professional milestones. At 14, she won the 2017 Australian Open girls’ singles title, a feat that marked her as a future contender. She won her first WTA singles title in 2022 in Lyon, as recorded by the WTA (official tournament records).
What titles has Marta Kostyuk won?
Her only WTA singles title to date is Lyon 2022. She has also reached additional WTA finals, including in 2023 and 2024, though she has not yet added a second trophy.
When did she turn professional?
Kostyuk turned professional in 2016 and was competing in WTA main draws by age 15.
Kostyuk has reached the third round of Wimbledon (2023) and several WTA quarterfinals, but a deep Grand Slam run has so far eluded her. For a player ranked inside the top 20, that is the next missing piece on the resume.
What this means: Kostyuk’s career trajectory resembles a slow-burn ascent rather than a teenage breakout. The foundation is solid, but the breakthrough Slam performance remains the goal.
What Is the Marta Kostyuk Foundation?
Founded in 2022, the Marta Kostyuk Foundation focuses on youth tennis development in Ukraine. Its stated mission is to promote tennis among Ukrainian children during the war. The official website is martakostyukfoundation.org.
Specific funding sources and financial impact are not widely documented, but the foundation’s existence signals Kostyuk’s commitment to investing in the next generation of players from her country. For Ukrainian families, the foundation offers a tangible link to a player who continues to represent their experience on a global stage.
The foundation’s effectiveness will depend on whether Kostyuk can channel her growing visibility into sustained financial support. For Ukrainian tennis, the stakes are a generation of players who might otherwise lose access to training during the war.
For Kostyuk, the foundation is the legacy project. For Ukrainian tennis, it’s a lifeline.
Timeline
- 2002 — Marta Kostyuk born in Kyiv, Ukraine.
- 2016 — Turned professional.
- 2017 — Won Australian Open girls’ singles title.
- 2022 — Won first WTA title in Lyon; married; founded the Marta Kostyuk Foundation.
- July 2023 — Refused handshake with Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon; gave birth to daughter.
- May 2026 — Reached career-high ranking of No. 15.
Confirmed facts and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Kostyuk refused handshake with Sabalenka at Wimbledon 2023 (Pro Football Network (sports news analysis)).
- She is married and has a daughter, born 2023.
- Her career-high ranking is No. 15 (May 2026) (WTA (official tour governing body)).
- She founded the Marta Kostyuk Foundation in 2022.
What’s unclear
- The exact name of her husband has not been publicly confirmed.
- Specific details of her foundation’s funding and impact are not widely documented.
Frequently asked questions
What is Marta Kostyuk’s nationality?
Ukrainian.
How many WTA titles has she won?
One WTA singles title, in Lyon (2022).
What is her highest ranking?
Career-high singles ranking of No. 15, reached in May 2026.
Who is her coach?
Sandra Zaniewska.
What is the Marta Kostyuk Foundation?
A foundation founded in 2022 to support youth tennis in Ukraine.
Why did she start the foundation?
To promote tennis among Ukrainian children amid the war.
What is her playing style?
Right-handed, two-handed backhand, aggressive baseline game.
Does she have any siblings?
Yes, two sisters.
Related reading
Priya Tran leads fact-checking, source verification and corrections at Reef Brief.