Marta Kostyuk releases statement after pulling out of Italian Open

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Marta Kostyuk’s hopes of back-to-back WTA 1000 titles have come to an end.

The Ukrainian recently secured the biggest win of her career so far, beating Mirra Andreeva in the Madrid Open final.

Afterward, Kostyuk took to Instagram to share what it meant to her, calling it a “dream come true.”

Now, she’s had to pull out of her next tournament before hitting the court.

Marta Kostyuk admits pulling out of Italian Open is a tough call

Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images

Speaking to her Instagram followers, the Ukrainian said: “This one hurts.”

“After the best stretch of my career, I was looking forward to Rome. But sometimes your body has other plans, and over the past few days I’ve been dealing with a hip issue.

“With my ankle still not fully at 100 per cent, it’s just not smart to keep pushing right now, so I won’t be competing there this year.

“That’s what makes it even harder, because it’s such a special place for me. The fans, the atmosphere, and yes… the food. I’ve had some amazing moments here, and I always love coming back.

“I’m sad to miss it, but I’ll see you next year. Now it’s time to recover and get ready for Paris.

Kostyuk also thanked her supporters for their continued backing as she looks ahead to returning stronger.

Her focus now seems to be on Roland Garros, though during her final press conference in Madrid she had mentioned Strasbourg as part of her plans.

Following her win over Andreeva in Spain, Kostyuk said: “You know Roland Garros is in three weeks, and I didn’t give it one thought yet. Because, you know there is still Rome.”

The Strasbourg Open takes place from 17-23 May while the French Open runs from 24 May to 7 June.