Marta Kostyuk reaches Guadalajara Open quarter-final without playing a match after opponent suddenly pulls out for bizarre reason

Marta Kostyuk has had it easy at the Guadalajara Open Akron. The number one seed is yet to step onto the court in the WTA 500 event in Mexico thanks to a first round bye and her last-16 opponent, Taylor Townsend, needing an emergency surgical procedure that saw her withdraw from the tournament.

Following completing the career Grand Slam in doubles alongside Katerina Siniakova at the US Open, Townsend was instantly back in action. 72 hours after celebrating her heroics in Flushing Meadows, she was back on court in Guadalajara, this time focusing on her singles career.

Entered as a wildcard, the World No.98 came back from a set down to defeat Tatjana Maria 6-7(0), 6-3, 6-2 in the first round which in turn set up a tantalising showdown against the two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Kostyuk, the highest ranked player in action.

It was set up to be the tie of the tournament, but in truth it was a huge anticlimax. Townsend withdrew from the match, posting a message on her Instagram story which read: "Welp... this s**t definitely wasn't on my bingo card... Through trails and tribulations still I rise. I'll update you soon."

True to her word, she did offer the reasons behind her abrupt withdrawal from the tournament, and in slightly worrying fashion.

"Hi everybody, on the heels of achieving my first career Grand Slam at the US Open, I was so excited to play in front of you all at Guadalajara. Because of emergency surgery, I am forced to withdraw from the GDL Open, and it breaks my heart. But I'm looking forward to coming back next year to see all of you, the greatest tennis fans. Viva Mexico!" She has since posted a picture of her in the hospital bed with her hand on her forehead.

The details surrounding the operation still remain unclear, although it is a worrying sign that could shatter the momentum gained from the US Open doubles win. Even transferring that confidence over to the singles ahead of the Asian swing would have been a timely boost, but it is not to be as tennis fans await more news on the situation.

While it is bad news for Townsend, Kostyuk cannot believe her luck. She is in the quarter-finals of the event despite not playing in a single point.

The Ukrainian comes into the tournament in great form. It is the first event that she is competing in where she is ranked in the top 10 of the WTA rankings following her last-16 run in New York, ended at the hands of Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in a tight match. It was the exact rematch from the semi-finals at SW19 where Kostyuk again faltered at that last-four stage.

She was unfortunately to lose to the champions in Canada and Cincinnati, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff respectively, ahead of that fourth round loss in the US Open. Nevertheless, it has not dented her progress with the Guadalajara Open her next port of call.

Kostyuk will be the favourite for the title. Already having reached three WTA finals in 2026, she has won the prior two in what was an almost flawless clay swing in Roeun and Madrid. She has never won a title at 500 level before, and it would be the second biggest title of her career to date after Madrid.

The eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova will be her first test, with the winner guaranteed to face an American in the form of either Peyton Stearns or Sloane Stephens. On the other side of the draw, reigning champion Iva Jovic remains the big threat. She faces Magdalena Frech while Cristina Bucsa and Sara Bejlek lock horns.

There is another motive for Kostyuk: the WTA Finals. She will hope to be among the eight players competing for glory in Indian Wells, but for the time being sits ninth just outside the provisional qualifying positions. A title triumph would send her up to seventh ahead of the Czech duo of Noskova and Karolina Muchova.