The 2025 Canadian Open in Montreal turned into a scene of high drama and heartbreak as Elena Rybakina, the ninth-seeded Kazakhstani powerhouse, advanced to the semifinals after her 23-year-old opponent, Marta Kostyuk, was forced to retire mid-match due to a wrist injury. The quarterfinal clash on August 4, 2025, at IGA Stadium saw Rybakina dominate the first set 6-1 and lead 2-1 in the second when Kostyuk, visibly in pain, made the agonizing decision to walk off the court. The abrupt end to the match underscored the brutal physical demands of professional tennis, leaving fans stunned and Kostyuk grappling with a cruel twist of fate just as she was carving out a breakthrough season.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, entered the match fresh off a grueling 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Dayana Yastremska in the fourth round, a two-hour-and-33-minute battle that tested her endurance. Her performance against Kostyuk showcased her trademark aggressive style, with a serve that has made her the WTA’s ace leader for 2025, racking up 102 aces in WTA 1000 events alone. “We played a couple of times. So different surface, but it’s always tough battle,” Rybakina said of Kostyuk before the match, anticipating a fierce contest. “I know that she’s really fighter, and she’s really physically tough opponent.” Rybakina’s game plan was clear: leverage her powerful serve, which landed 75% of first-serve points, and close points quickly with relentless groundstrokes, a strategy that overwhelmed Kostyuk early.
Kostyuk, ranked No. 24, had been a revelation in Montreal, storming into the quarterfinals with comeback wins over former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, 15th seed Daria Kasatkina, and 28th seed McCartney Kessler, all after dropping the first set. Her aggressive baseline play and knack for saving break points—76% in her round-of-16 match—had marked her as a rising star. Yet, the Ukrainian’s wrist injury, which surfaced during the match, halted her momentum. The 6-1, 1-2 retirement handed Rybakina her eighth WTA-level quarterfinal of 2025, trailing only Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, who each have 10. The victory also marked Rybakina’s 60th WTA 1000 hard-court win in just 84 matches, a feat surpassed only by Swiatek and Victoria Azarenka among active players.
The match’s premature end echoed a broader narrative of physical tolls at the Canadian Open, with Bianca Andreescu’s recent walkover against Mirra Andreeva due to an ankle injury highlighting the sport’s unforgiving nature. Rybakina, no stranger to physical struggles, admitted to battling fatigue and minor injuries herself. “Well, of course, a little bit getting tired of my issues, but we’re managing,” she said after her Yastremska win, emphasizing the long matches as vital preparation for the upcoming US Open. Her resilience was evident as she navigated a demanding schedule, having reached the Washington semifinal before Montreal and confirming a mixed doubles run with Taylor Fritz at Flushing Meadows.
Kostyuk’s exit was particularly poignant given her 2-1 head-to-head record against Rybakina, though the Kazakhstani won their most recent clash in the 2024 Stuttgart final, 6-2, 6-2. “She is in such good form,” Amanda Anisimova noted of Kostyuk’s recent performances, a sentiment shared by fans who saw her fight back in earlier rounds. The Ukrainian’s withdrawal not only ended her dream run but also sparked concern about her recovery timeline, especially with the Cincinnati Open and US Open looming.
Rybakina’s semifinal berth sets up a clash with either Liudmila Samsonova or Jessica Pegula, a rematch of her 2023 Canadian Open semifinal where she fell to Samsonova after a marathon 3 a.m. quarterfinal against Kasatkina. “I feel destroyed because of the scheduling and the whole situation,” Rybakina said then, criticizing the WTA’s handling of late-night matches. This year, she appears better equipped, with her Strasbourg title in May—her first in over a year—and a 33-14 win-loss record fueling confidence. Her partnership with Fritz in the US Open’s $1 million mixed doubles event adds intrigue, with Fritz declaring, “I know Elena and myself are definitely there to win.”
As Rybakina eyes a deep run in Montreal and a top-10 ranking return, Kostyuk’s injury serves as a stark reminder of tennis’s physical and emotional demands. The Canadian Open’s chaos, marked by rain delays and injuries, has only amplified the stakes as players race toward Flushing Meadows.
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