Marina Stakusic Bio
Marina Stakusic (Serbian Cyrillic: Марина Стакушић; born 27 November 2004) is a Canadian professional tennis player. She has a career-high WTA singles ranking of world No. 114, achieved on 24 February 2025, and a best doubles ranking of No. 448, reached on 14 August 2023. Stakusic was a member of the Canadian team which won the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup, and she has won one WTA 125 singles title as well as four singles titles and one doubles title on the ITF circuit. Standing 1.74 m tall, she plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand and is coached by Rob Steckley.
Early Life and Background
Marina Stakusic was born on 27 November 2004 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, where she continues to reside. Her father is a Montenegrin who emigrated to Canada at the age of 25, while her mother was born in Canada to parents who emigrated from Serbia. The family’s athletic roots run deep, as her brother, Marko Stakusic, is also a professional tennis player.
Stakusic first picked up a tennis racket at the age of five, beginning a steady progression through Canadian junior development. Her Serbian-Montenegrin heritage has connected her to a wider European tennis tradition, and growing up in Mississauga gave her access to a strong local coaching environment. By her early teens, she was competing in national-level junior events, and her family’s support helped shape a clear focus on a professional path.
Path to Professional Tennis
Stakusic turned professional in 2022, transitioning quickly from junior competition to the senior circuit. Her early results on the ITF circuit built the foundation for her WTA Tour debut later that year. Working with coach Rob Steckley, she developed the all-court game that would later translate to higher-level events, including her first WTA 125 title in 2024.
Marina Stakusic Career
Early Career (2022)
Marina Stakusic made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the Championnats de Granby in 2022, where she defeated Jaimee Fourlis in the first round before losing to tenth seed Marta Kostyuk. The result signaled her readiness for higher-level competition.
2023: Billie Jean King Cup Winner
Although Stakusic did not play any WTA Tour main-draw matches in 2023, she was named in the Canadian team for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November. Ranked at world No. 261, she won three of her four singles matches, all against top-65 opponents. She defeated Rebeka Masarova and Magdalena Fręch in group-stage victories over Spain and Poland, then lost to Barbora Krejčíková during Canada’s 2-1 semifinal win over the Czech Republic. In the final, she overcame Martina Trevisan in the opening match as Canada defeated Italy 2-0 to claim their first Billie Jean King Cup title.
2024: Major Debut and First WTA 125 Title
Stakusic qualified for her first WTA 500 tournament at the San Diego Open in 2024, defeating fellow qualifier Marina Melnikova before losing to seventh seed Donna Vekić. Ranked No. 164, she then qualified for Wimbledon, making her major tournament debut, but lost in the first round to 27th seed Katerina Siniaková. At her home WTA 1000 Canadian Open, she received a wildcard and recorded her first win at this level by defeating qualifier Erika Andreeva, eventually reaching No. 143 on 12 August 2024.
At the Guadalajara Open, Stakusic received another wildcard and upset top seed Jelena Ostapenko, ranked world No. 12, in three sets, marking her first win against a top-20 player and her maiden WTA Tour quarterfinal. Later in the year, she won the WTA 125 Abierto Tampico in Mexico, the biggest title of her career to date, defeating Anastasiia Sobolieva, Robin Montgomery, Lucrezia Stefanini, Sara Sorribes Tormo, and finally fifth seed Anna Blinkova in a three-set final lasting two hours and 43 minutes.
2025 Season
In 2025, Stakusic reached her career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 114 on 24 February. She qualified for the Transylvania Open, defeating Sorana Cîrstea, and again as a qualifier at the WTA 500 Guadalajara Open, she beat Polina Kudermetova and third seed Jeļena Ostapenko before losing in the quarterfinals to Emiliana Arango. In November, she reached her second WTA 125 final at the Austin Challenger, finishing as runner-up to third seed Renata Zarazúa in three sets.
Playing Style and Strengths
Stakusic plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand and is coached by Rob Steckley. Her game features a strong baseline game, with the consistency and tactical variety needed to trouble top-ranked opponents. She has shown particular comfort on hard courts, where she has produced her most notable upsets and deep runs, including wins over Jelena Ostapenko and other top-20 ranked players.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her signature moments, Stakusic’s Billie Jean King Cup triumph in 2023 stands out as her first major team success, while her WTA 125 title at the 2024 Abierto Tampico represents her biggest singles title to date. Her upset of world No. 12 Jelena Ostapenko at the 2024 Guadalajara Open also marked a turning point in her confidence at the WTA level.
Marina Stakusic Career Wins
Marina Stakusic has built a steady collection of titles across the ITF circuit, the WTA 125 level, and a major team competition. Her breakthrough singles title came at the 2024 Abierto Tampico, where she lifted her first WTA 125 trophy.
WTA 125 Highlights
Stakusic has won one WTA 125 singles title at the 2024 Abierto Tampico, defeating Anna Blinkova in a three-set final. She also reached a second WTA 125 final at the 2025 Austin Challenger, finishing as runner-up to Renata Zarazúa.
Other Wins and Performances
On the ITF Circuit, Stakusic has won four singles titles and one doubles title. She has also recorded a career-high doubles ranking of No. 448, reached on 14 August 2023, and a career-high singles ranking of No. 114, achieved on 24 February 2025.
Marina Stakusic Family
Family Background and Tennis Lineage
Stakusic’s family has strong European roots and a clear tennis connection. Her father emigrated from Montenegro to Canada at age 25, and her mother was born in Canada to Serbian parents. Her brother, Marko Stakusic, is also a professional tennis player, giving the family two athletes on the professional circuit.
Personal Life
Marina Stakusic was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, where she continues to live while competing on the international tennis circuit. Details about her marital status and children are not publicly known.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was defined by continued progress at the WTA and WTA 125 levels. Stakusic achieved her career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 114 on 24 February 2025, a marker of the consistency she had built through the previous year. Her results against top opposition, including a deep run at the Guadalajara Open, confirmed her ability to compete at the higher tier of the tour.
Late in the season, she reached her second WTA 125 final at the Austin Challenger in November, finishing as runner-up to Renata Zarazúa in three sets. The result added to a strong body of work on the WTA 125 circuit and underlined her competitive level heading into the following season.
Looking ahead, Stakusic’s momentum in 2025 placed her in a strong position to push further into the top 100 of the WTA rankings. With continued work alongside coach Rob Steckley and a growing base of experience against top-20 opponents, the outlook suggested steady improvement on both the WTA Tour and at Grand Slam level.
