Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk will make her debut in the main draw of the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells, USA. According to Sport RBC.UA, citing the official WTA website, she will replace world No. 1 Elena Rybakina, who withdrew from the competition due to health issues. Thus, there will be two Ukrainian representatives in the WTA Finals singles draw simultaneously — Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina, who qualified earlier.
Path to the Main Draw: From Alternate to Top Eight Spot
Kostyuk's entry into the main draw came as a result of a chain of events. Based on the qualifying rankings, the Ukrainian failed to make the initial top eight and arrived in Indian Wells as an alternate, retaining a chance to compete only if one of the entered players withdrew. Earlier, in late October, she had already lost direct qualification chances in the rankings after poor performances at the tournament in Ningbo, as reported by Ukrainian and Russian sports media. However, her reserve status and Rybakina's subsequent withdrawal paved her way into the main draw.
Why Rybakina Withdrew
The Kazakhstani tennis player, who was set to defend her WTA Finals title, explained her decision by her physical condition and the need to recover before the next season. Following the official confirmation of her withdrawal, the spot in the main draw automatically went to the first alternate, Marta Kostyuk, for whom this is her career-first appearance at the Women's Tennis Association season finale.
Opponents and Schedule
Kostyuk has been placed in Group 1, where her opponents are Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, as well as Czech tennis player Linda Noskova. The Ukrainian will play her first match on Sunday, November 8, specifically against Noskova. The group stage will run until November 13: each participant will play three matches, and the top two players from the quartet will advance to the semifinals. The semifinal matches are scheduled for November 14, and the final is on November 15.
Two Ukrainians in the Singles Draw
Thanks to Kostyuk's entry, Ukraine will have two representatives in the singles draw of the WTA Finals. Earlier, Elina Svitolina secured her participation in the tournament, making this her fourth appearance at the WTA Finals; she won the tournament in 2018. The simultaneous presence of two Ukrainian tennis players in the main draw of the season finale is a notable event for the national team.
The 2026 Season as a Foundation for Debut
Kostyuk's debut at the season finale comes during one of the most successful stages of her career. In 2026, the Ukrainian won titles in Rouen and Madrid, and also reached the semifinals of Grand Slam tournaments twice. These exact results allowed her to anchor herself in the elite of world tennis and ultimately earn the chance to play among the top eight of the season. Now she faces the challenge of advancing from a group featuring two top American players and a Czech representative.
