Wimbledon: Kostyuk storms into maiden semifinal with dominant win over Paolini
London, July 8
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk continued her impressive run at Wimbledon, brushing aside Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court on Wednesday to reach her maiden Wimbledon semifinal and second consecutive Grand Slam semifinal.
The 12th seed took just one hour and nine minutes to defeat last year's runner-up. This win brings her impressive record to 21 victories in her last 22 matches on the WTA Tour. It also follows her semifinal finish at the 2026 French Open, showing her growing consistency at major tournaments.
Playing on Centre Court for the first time, Kostyuk showcased an aggressive style. She hit 19 winners, including several eye-catching return winners, keeping Paolini under constant pressure.
Paolini struggled in the opening set, racking up 15 unforced errors. This allowed Kostyuk to take control of the match. The turning point came in the fifth game when the Ukrainian hit a forehand return winner off a hesitant second serve to gain a key break. From that moment on, she played confidently and didn't let the Italian back into the match.
Kostyuk continued her strong performance in the second set. She used her powerful baseline game and accurate returns to secure the victory in just 69 minutes, securing her spot in the final four at the All England Club for the first time.
Next, the Ukrainian will face either Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova or Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens for a chance to reach her first Grand Slam final. After reaching the semifinals at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season, Kostyuk has solidified her place as one of the top players of 2026.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Watching her game develop since the Australian Open is like watching a flower bloom. But let's be honest - Paolini had an off day with those 15 unforced errors in the first set alone. That's not taking anything away from Kostyuk's brilliance though. Hoping for an all-Ukraine semifinal story continues! 🇺🇦
As a tennis fan, I'm thrilled to see new faces making deep runs at majors. Kostyuk's 21-1 record in last 22 matches is absurd! She might just be the favorite for the title now. Swiatek better watch out. That serve return was lethal today.
Impressive numbers but I'm not fully convinced yet. She still has to beat either Noskova or Mertens - both tricky opponents. Her record on grass before this was average at best. Let's see how she handles the pressure of a semifinal before we crown her anything.
She's playing with such freedom since the French Open. Maybe the burden of expectations is off? 19 winners in 69 minutes is unbelievable efficiency. And that return winner on break point in the fifth game - pure class. No wonder Centre Court was buzzing!
I remember when Kostyuk was just a promising junior. Fast forward to 2026 and she's in back-to-back Grand Slam semis. The tennis world is sleeping on her power game. If she serves well, she could go all the way. Wimbledon needs a new champion and she fits the bill 👑
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