Women’s tennis star Marta Kostyuk has claimed the best players in the world have ‘higher levels of testosterone‘ which give them a clear advantage on the court.

Kostyuk said that world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No 2 Iga Swiatek are ‘much bigger’ and ‘much stronger’ than her and her peers slightly lower down the rankings.

The Ukrainian is the same height (5’9″) as Swiatek and two inches shorter than Sabalenka. It is not clear how Kostyuk, the world No 27, has arrived at her conclusion about testosterone levels.

‘Against Iga (Swiatek), when I have played her, I wasn’t ready to play her at all. I played her over a year ago and she was very strong,’ Kostyuk told Tennis 365recalling a 6-2, 6-1 defeat at the Indian Wells Masters.

‘With Aryna (Sabalenka), I know it is a tough battle. I have my own skills, but at the end of the day, they are all much bigger than me, much taller than me, much stronger than me.

‘We all have our own biological structure. Some have a higher level of testosterone, some have lower. It’s just natural and that definitely helps.

‘I feel smaller than them. I try to see how I can beat these players with the tennis skills I have, but I have to work harder to win the points. I have to run a lot more than them to win points.

‘I cannot make myself 10kgs bigger or five centimetres taller, so I have to use everything I had at 100 percent. For other players, they have more of an advantage in other things. This is just the way I am.

‘I look at the photos when we shake hands at the net and I look so much smaller than some of my opponents. It’s just part of the sport and a very cool challenge for me to take on these players. There are many, many things I can do to be better, but they have an advantage on me.’

Her comments are certain to ruffle a few feathers.

Smaller players are able to compete at the top level. World No 3 Coco Gauff is the same height, No 5 Jessica Pegula is 5’7″, and No 6 Jasmine Paolini is 5’4″. Gauff won the French Open earlier this year, beating Sabalenka in the final.

And Sabalenka appeared to subtly hit back with an elegant Instagram post on Tuesday, sharing photos of her in a bikini in Dubai along with fellow player Paula Badosa, calling it a ‘much needed girls’ day with my bestie’.

The Belarusian star, 27, was at a five-star resort called Atlantis the Royal, where rooms for the night can comfortably exceed £1,000.

Sabalenka enjoyed hanging out by the pool, posing in her bikini, dining, and watching TV near the beach.

Badosa – formerly one half of the tennis power couple ‘Tsitsidosa’ alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas – made her own post, calling it ‘weekend therapy with bestie’.

She and Tsitsipas reportedly parted ways for the second time in July after both crashing out of the first round at Wimbledon.

The duo are said to have broken up peaceably but have been ‘shattered’ by the demands of their high-powered careers, including injuries.

Tsitsipas and Badosa captured the hearts of the tennis world when they went public together in 2023 and were dubbed ‘Tsitsidosa’ as they shared their affection in a series of heart-warming social media snaps together.

In May last year they broke up ‘amicably’ but within three weeks they were back together and piquing the interest of fans again.

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Women’s tennis in ‘manliness’ row: Star makes explosive claim world No 1 and 2 Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have ‘higher levels of testosterone’ – before rival hits back with bikini photo response