Marta Kostyuk Hurls Her Racket in Frustration As Coco Gauff Dominates Cincinnati Open Showdown

Marta Kostyuk and Coco Gauff battled it out in a blockbuster quarterfinal showdown at the Cincinnati Open. With the American producing a dominant performance, Kostyuk engaged in an amusing conversation with her coach before her frustration boiled over during the contest.

Marta Kostyuk's Frustration Boils Over During Cincinnati Open Quarterfinal

After triumphing over three Grand Slam champions (Sofia Kenin, Sloane Stephens, and Mirra Andreeva), No. 10 seed Kostyuk looked to secure a coveted spot in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati. However, the Ukrainian made a difficult start to her clash against No. 4 seed Coco Gauff.

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Kostyuk found herself on the back foot in her very first service game, as she double-faulted twice in a row to give Gauff a break point. She was seen receiving advice from her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, who also expressed disbelief over the consecutive double faults.

"I also cannot believe," Zaniewska said.

Gauff went on to dominate the opening set and carried her momentum into the second. As Kostyuk struggled to mount a challenge, her frustration became evident as she angrily hurled her racket to the ground.

Gauff ultimately cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over the Ukrainian, advancing to the semifinals and inching closer to winning her first title of the 2026 season. During her on-court interview, the world No. 4 praised Kostyuk as a great person and formidable opponent, while also highlighting her stellar sportsmanship.

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"Marta is a great opponent. I meant to say person, also a tough opponent too. She's someone I have a lot of respect for. Even before the match, we were chatting about US Open," Gauff said.

"She's definitely one of the most talented and athletic players on tour. Tonight, I just was playing really well and a lot of respect because I know it wasn't her best night, but obviously great sportsmanship from her," she added.

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Up next, Coco Gauff will lock horns with Sára Bejlek in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open. Bejlek defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka before claiming an impressive 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) comeback win over Madison Keys in the quarterfinals to set up her first tour-level meeting with Gauff.

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The winner of the match between Gauff and Bejlek will square off against Jessica Pegula or Iga Świątek in the final of the WTA 1000 event.

Meanwhile, Marta Kostyuk will turn her focus to her preparations for the US Open, where she will resume her quest to win her maiden Grand Slam title. The New York Major is scheduled to commence on Aug. 30.

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