While the ATP world buzzes over the Big Two: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the WTA has quietly forged its own Big Three: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff. Yet, this season, the European storm has raged hardest through Sabalenka and Swiatek, one reigning supreme at Wimbledon, the other fiercely defending her US Open crown, separated by a razor-thin 1,687-point margin in the live race to the WTA Finals, while Gauff trails far behind. And amid their roaring dominance, Ukraine’s No. 25 Marta Kostyuk admitted she often feels diminished standing across the net from Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, a vivid testament to the sheer force and aura the two giants now wield over the women’s game.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis 365 at the Wuhan Open, Marta Kostyuk laid her emotions bare, her honesty cutting through the noise as she looked back on the peaks and valleys of her 2025 season.

When asked what truly sets the world’s elite apart, Kostyuk began with the name that has dominated women’s tennis, Poland’s Iga Swiatek. “Against Iga (Swiatek), when I have played her, I wasn’t ready to play her at all. I played her over a year ago, and she was very strong,” she said. The words carried the tone of respect, not defeat: an acknowledgment of Swiatek’s steel and the kind of form that makes her a force almost untouchable at times.

The conversation then turned to Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning powerhouse and embodiment of raw intensity. Kostyuk spoke with equal admiration and awe. “With Aryna (Sabalenka), I know it is a tough battle. I have my own skills, but at the end of the day, they are all much bigger than me, much taller than me, much stronger than me,” she added. Sabalenka, standing tall at 1.82 meters, towers both physically and mentally, while Swiatek’s 1.76-meter frame still casts a long shadow. Kostyuk, just a whisper shorter at 1.75 meters, wasn’t speaking about mere height; it was also the form, the physicality, and the relentless grind that she was referring to.

When asked whether she feels intimidated by the sport’s current rulers, Kostyuk’s response was as scientific as it was soulful. “We all have our own biological structure. Some have a higher level of testosterone, some have lower. It’s just natural, and that definitely helps,” she explained. Then came the line that revealed both her vulnerability and fire: “I feel smaller than them. I try to see how I can beat these players with the tennis skills I have, but I have to work harder to win the points. I have to run a lot more than them to win points.” It was an honest confession, but one brimming with grit.

The mental edge, too, was something she could not overlook. When asked if champions like Swiatek and Sabalenka are mentally stronger, she replied, “Their confidence is just different. I have played some close matches against Aryna, and you see how she plays the break points. She just doesn’t care. She has no doubt that she will save them. She hits a big serve and hits the forehand. No doubt. She is No. 1 in the world, she has played a lot of finals, and she has that confidence. That helps her to have no doubts.”

Her honesty extended to her own mental battles as well. “For me, it is not so easy for me to play without doubt. It is an interesting sport, and I’m enjoying the journey of trying to figure it out,” she admitted. 

So far, the numbers tell a tough story. Against Sabalenka, Kostyuk has played four times and lost them all. Against Swiatek, three meetings, three defeats. But every loss has left a scar, and every scar has made her sharper. 

As the WTA Finals approach, the storm at the top is only intensifying. Sabalenka’s crown sits under pressure, with Swiatek surging from behind: hungry, relentless, and closing in fast. And somewhere just beneath that fierce skyline, Marta Kostyuk keeps running, dreaming, and believing that her moment is still waiting to rise.

Aryna Sabalenka speaks out as Iga Swiatek closes in 

After her glorious triumph at the US Open, Aryna Sabalenka carried her fierce form to the Wuhan Open, a tournament where she once seemed untouchable. Yet, her invincible streak met an abrupt halt in the semifinals, falling to the relentless Jessica Pegula. The defeat may have ended her run, but not her fire.

Meanwhile, her fiercest rival, Iga Swiatek, has been writing her own chapter of resurgence. The six-time Grand Slam champion has stormed through the tour since Wimbledon, conquering Cincinnati and the Korea Open. Those victories lifted her from third to second in the rankings, overtaking Coco Gauff and placing her directly behind Sabalenka’s coveted throne. Her next mission is clear, to reclaim the No. 1 crown.

But Sabalenka, true to her fearless core, remains unshaken by the looming threat. In a candid media interaction, the four-time major winner revealed how she views the battle for supremacy. “I am not like really thinking every day about keeping my position,” she admitted, her words cutting through with calm conviction.

For Sabalenka, it isn’t about numbers; it’s about growth. “Trying to improve my game, get better in everything and then go out there and compete and take it as ‘Okay let’s see if you train enough, if you are ready to take me down,’” she added.

She ended on a powerful note, reflecting the fighter’s spirit that defines her. “I love looking at it this way. It is really motivating me, and I think that is why I am willing to bring the fight every day.”

As the WTA Finals approach, the tension sharpens. Sabalenka holds the throne, but Swiatek is closing fast, a storm gathering speed. 

Two queens, one crown. The battle for supremacy is far from over.