Match Details
Fixture: (1) Marta Kostyuk vs (WC) Taylor Townsend
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Date: September 16, 2026
Tournament: Guadalajara Open presented by Santander
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Outdoor hard
Venue: Centro Panamericano de Tenis, Zapopan, Mexico
Prize Money: $1,206,446
Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN
Marta Kostyuk vs Taylor Townsend preview
Top seed Marta Kostyuk will face off against wildcard Taylor Townsend in the second round of the 2026 Guadalajara Open on Wednesday.
Kostyuk received a first-round bye as the top seed, making this her first match of the week. She has enjoyed a career year, winning titles in Rouen and Madrid while making her top-10 debut and climbing to a career-high No. 10 ranking, and enters with a 36-9 record in 2026 after reaching the fourth round of the US Open before losing to Linda Noskova.
Meanwhile, Townsend advanced to the second round with a 6-7(0), 6-3, 6-2 comeback win over Tatjana Maria, recovering after a tough first-set tiebreak. She faces a quick turnaround after winning the US Open women’s doubles title alongside Katerina Siniakova last week to complete a Career Grand Slam, while also reaching the fourth round in singles at Flushing Meadows.
Marta Kostyuk vs Taylor Townsend head-to-head
Kostyuk leads the head-to-head 2-0, with both meetings coming on hard courts. Their most recent encounter came at this year’s Indian Wells, where the Ukrainian won in straight sets.
Marta Kostyuk vs Taylor Townsend odds
(Odds via BetMGM)
Marta Kostyuk vs Taylor Townsend prediction
Kostyuk’s clean 2-0 record against Townsend, including a comfortable win at Indian Wells earlier this year, adds to the case for her in this matchup. Her 36-9 record and two titles in 2026 underline the consistency she has shown throughout the season, while her return game could be particularly important against Townsend’s aggressive serve-and-volley approach.
Townsend, though, presents a different challenge with her willingness to move forward and apply pressure at the net. Her comeback win over Maria also showed her ability to recover after a difficult start, which could make this a more competitive contest than their previous meetings.
Kostyuk’s form and head-to-head advantage give her the edge, but Townsend’s unconventional style could keep her in the match and force Kostyuk to work for the win.
Pick: Kostyuk to win in straight sets.
Marta Kostyuk vs Taylor Townsend betting tips
Tip 1: The match will have at least 22 games.
Tip 2: Kostyuk to win a set 7-5 or better.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh