WTA Cincinnati — Tatjana Maria vs Marta Kostyuk
Hard Court • Preview & Betting Notes
🧠 Form & Context
Tatjana Maria
🏆 Queen’s Club champion in June, but form has been erratic. Arrived in Cincinnati on a four-match losing streak before beating Whitney Osuigwe in R1.
📉 Inconsistent on hard courts this season (11–9 W/L) and hasn’t gone past R2 in Cincinnati since debut.
🎯 Game style heavily reliant on slice and variation — tricky but vulnerable against consistent power hitters.
Marta Kostyuk
🔥 Snapped a six-match losing streak in Montreal with a strong run, defeating Vondroušová, Kasatkina, and Kessler before retiring vs Rybakina (wrist).
💪 Hard-court W/L in 2025 is 13–10, with most wins coming at WTA 1000 level or higher.
⚠️ Minor injury concern — wrist issue forced her out mid-match last week, but she’s still entered here.
✅ Leads H2H 1–0, winning 6–0, 6–2 in Toronto 2024.
🔍 Match Breakdown
Maria’s edge: Court craft, experience, and ability to disrupt rhythm. If she keeps points short and mixes paces, she can unsettle Kostyuk.
Kostyuk’s edge: Superior baseline power, athleticism, and success in big events this year. If her wrist holds up, she should dominate extended rallies.
Tactical note: Kostyuk will aim to dictate with depth and angles, forcing Maria to defend from awkward positions. Maria needs a high first-serve percentage to avoid being attacked early in rallies.
X-factor: Kostyuk’s fitness. If the wrist flares up or her intensity dips, Maria could frustrate her into errors.
🔮 Prediction
Kostyuk comes in as the clear favorite based on recent high-profile wins, but the retirement in Montreal adds uncertainty. Maria’s game can be awkward for opponents lacking patience, yet Kostyuk’s prior easy win in this matchup suggests she can handle the variety.
If the Ukrainian serves well and her wrist is stable, she should control proceedings. Maria’s best chance is to drag this into a messy, extended contest and test Kostyuk’s shot tolerance.
Pick: Kostyuk in 2 sets.
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