UKRAINE’S MARTA KOSTYUK reached her second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final with a dominant last-eight victory over former finalist Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon.
The 12th seed raced to a 6-3, 6-2 victory after just 69 minutes on Centre Court and will face either Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens, for a place in her first major final.
“First time playing on this unbelievable court, it’s a dream come true,” said the 24-year-old.
“I was on this court as a spectator once nine years ago watching Roger (Federer) and to be back here as a player is amazing. I walked past the ‘wall of honour’, stood beside it and took a moment.”
Kostyuk has only lost one of her last 22 matches, her semi-final defeat by eventual champion Mirra Andreeva at the French Open last month.
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She is set to climb into the world’s top 10 next week for the first time in her career, having been just 28th in the rankings as recently as April.
This is the first Wimbledon in the Open Era featuring four first-time ladies' Wimbledon semifinalists 👏 pic.twitter.com/UERd2kamci
In only her second Grand Slam quarter-final, following her run at the 2024 Australian Open, Noskova sealed a place in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time.
In the lead up to Wimbledon, Noskova won the Berlin Open, her first grass-court title.
She has taken that impressive form into the All England Club, dispatching former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last 16 before brushing aside Mertens.
Having reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, Noskova is now just one win away from her maiden Grand Slam final.
“The feelings are incredible, like never before. This is what I am playing tennis for, these big stages and big matches,” she said.
“I was a little bit nervous before the match, I am not going to lie. When I am putting pressure on myself that is usually when I play my best. I really enjoyed this match.”
Mertens, 30, had been hoping to make the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time, but the 25th seed bowed out after a strong run featuring a win over second seed Elena Rybakina.
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Kostyuk and Noskova march on to Wimbledon semi-final meeting
UKRAINE’S MARTA KOSTYUK reached her second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final with a dominant last-eight victory over former finalist Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon.
The 12th seed raced to a 6-3, 6-2 victory after just 69 minutes on Centre Court and will face either Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens, for a place in her first major final.
“First time playing on this unbelievable court, it’s a dream come true,” said the 24-year-old.
“I was on this court as a spectator once nine years ago watching Roger (Federer) and to be back here as a player is amazing. I walked past the ‘wall of honour’, stood beside it and took a moment.”
Kostyuk has only lost one of her last 22 matches, her semi-final defeat by eventual champion Mirra Andreeva at the French Open last month.
She is set to climb into the world’s top 10 next week for the first time in her career, having been just 28th in the rankings as recently as April.
Paolini could not reproduce the form she showed in her fourth-round win over Alexandra Eala, losing in the last eight of a Slam for the first time.
The Italian was playing in her first major quarter-final since reaching the Wimbledon final in 2024, when she was also the French Open runner-up.
Meanwhile, Noskova reached her first Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5 win against Mertens.
The 21-year-old Noskova dominated from start to finish in a last-eight clash lasting one hour and 50 minutes in searing temperatures on Court One.
In only her second Grand Slam quarter-final, following her run at the 2024 Australian Open, Noskova sealed a place in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time.
In the lead up to Wimbledon, Noskova won the Berlin Open, her first grass-court title.
She has taken that impressive form into the All England Club, dispatching former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last 16 before brushing aside Mertens.
Having reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, Noskova is now just one win away from her maiden Grand Slam final.
“The feelings are incredible, like never before. This is what I am playing tennis for, these big stages and big matches,” she said.
“I was a little bit nervous before the match, I am not going to lie. When I am putting pressure on myself that is usually when I play my best. I really enjoyed this match.”
Mertens, 30, had been hoping to make the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time, but the 25th seed bowed out after a strong run featuring a win over second seed Elena Rybakina.
– © AFP 2026
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