Two weeks, two wins: Kostyuk beats Stephens again at US Open

The practice court behind Louis Armstrong Stadium had no spectators, but every answer was there. I stood from a distance watching Marta Kostyuk execute her third series of serves during Tuesday's practice session — the second serve she used to save a set point in the first round of the US Open. People look at the goal; I look at the space behind the right-back. In tennis, I look at the space the opponent leaves before the winner happens. With Kostyuk, that space was on Sloane Stephens' left wing — where she has been targeting for two weeks straight. The context of this match could not be clearer. Just fifteen days ago, in Cincinnati, Kostyuk defeated Stephens 7-5, 7-5. When the US Open draw paired them again in the first round, many called it a "tough match" for the seed — Stephens is a former Grand Slam champion, a dangerous unseeded floater. But my forty-page notebook records a different reality: Kostyuk has decoded Stephens' game. And she knows it. The match followed the script Kostyuk had prepared. The first set ended quickly at 6-1. Eight aces, thirty winners — twenty more than her opponent. Stephens managed only ten winners, a number reflecting her helplessness against the relentless attack. But then what I have seen hundreds of times in my career happened: Kostyuk led 4-2 in the second set, and Stephens began to adjust. She stood deeper to return serves, extended rallies, forced Kostyuk to hit one more ball. The 6-1, 4-2 lead evaporated. This is the moment where many young players collapse. But Kostyuk is not a typical young player. She has 34 wins on the WTA Tour this season — a number in the leading group. When facing set point in the tenth game, she unleashed an unreturnable serve. Not an ace, but a serve that left Stephens swinging at air. After that, Kostyuk won the last three games to close the match 6-1, 7-5. "I knew Stephens would try to change something," Kostyuk said after the match. "She's a Grand Slam champion, she always has a Plan B. I just needed to stick to my game." This statement shows tactical maturity — a sign of thorough preparation, not luck. The silent sacrifice does not appear on the scoreboard, only in the footsteps of teammates. In this case, the sacrifice was Stephens — who had to chase Kostyuk's shots for two sets. The "full circle" story here is beautiful. In 2026, when Stephens won the US Open, Kostyuk was 15 years old and had just won the junior doubles title at the same Flushing Meadows. Eight years later, she defeated that year's champion right in the first round. The practice court has no spectators, but every answer lies there. I have followed Kostyuk since her early junior days — her game has always been aggressive, but what sets her apart is her ability to read matches. However, there is a contrarian angle I want to offer. This victory is not just a story about "grit" — that is how the media usually frames it. The data says otherwise: eight aces, thirty winners, a twenty-winner margin. This was not a match where Kostyuk struggled to win. This was a match where she dominated her opponent with purposeful aggression. This distinction matters because it shows Kostyuk is not just "gritty" — she is actively punishing opponents. The weakness is also visible: losing the 6-1, 4-2 lead shows that when Plan A is neutralized, Kostyuk still tends to play high-risk tennis. Thirty winners usually come with a corresponding number of unforced errors — data not published in this match, but it is the classic trade-off of aggressive play. If she faces a defensive counterpuncher who can extend rallies, this inconsistency could be exploited. But with her current form, Kostyuk is in the best position of her career. Thirty-four wins this year, two consecutive victories over a former Grand Slam champion, and an aggressive game perfectly suited to hard courts. She stands before the opportunity to go deep at this Grand Slam — and if that happens, the "full circle" story will become one of the tournament's most memorable moments. When everyone looks at the ball, I only see the directing hand from the sideline. Kostyuk is directing her own match. And this time, she has no intention of stopping.