Marta Kostyuk’s on-court style as Wilson’s first-ever head-to-toe athlete routinely has her landing on some of tennis’ best-dressed lists. But days ahead of Wimbledon, a high-profile off-court look is earning the Ukrainian attention online.
The 21-year-old was chosen as one of the stars of a special Olympic and Paralympic photo shoot by Vogue in her native country, where she joined Ukraine’s sporting stars both new and old, including four-time Olympic medalist and fencer Olha Kharlan, defending Greco-Roman wrestling gold medalist Zhan Beleniuk, and 2016 gymnastics all-around silver medalist Oleg Vernyaev, in a glossy spread by photographer Yan Wasiuchnik.
But the images spread like wildfire online for another reason: For her entry, the 21-year-old was photographed wearing nothing but a white tennis skirt.
Regardless of fans’ differing opinions on her bold fashion statement, there was no debate in Kostyuk’s mind: She wrote on social media that it was “an honor” to represent her war-torn homeland in the spread with some of Ukraine’s most decorated athletes, and will be too at next month’s Games.
