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Qatar News Agency reported that Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk secured a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Wednesday to reach the semifinals for the first time. The win on Centre Court came in straight sets against the 2024 runner-up at the grass-court major and sets up a meeting with Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova. Noskova had earlier advanced by overcoming Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5 in her own quarterfinal.
This marks the second Grand Slam semifinal of the season for the 24-year-old Kostyuk, who reached the final four at the French Open before falling to Russia’s Mirra Andreeva. WTA data places her current world ranking at 13 while noting that she has collected two titles in 2026 at Madrid and Rouen. The Ukrainian has compiled a 22-5 win-loss record this year with season prize money surpassing $2.2 million.
Kostyuk becomes the second player from Ukraine to reach the Wimbledon semifinals according to tournament records. She stands one victory from becoming the first Ukrainian woman to contest the women’s singles final at the All England Club, a milestone that would cap her career-best major run. Her grass-court form has featured successive victories over Nadia Podoroska, Anna Blinkova, Emma Navarro and Ashlyn Krueger en route to the last four.
ESPN detailed that Kostyuk made an immediate impression in her Centre Court debut by dictating play against Paolini throughout the match. The Italian had entered the quarterfinal on the back of her runner-up finish two years earlier but could not match the Ukrainian’s level in the one-sided encounter. Kostyuk’s tactical approach combined powerful baseline hitting with effective net approaches to close out the contest.
Noskova, seeded ninth, has matched Kostyuk by advancing to her own first Wimbledon semifinal through consistent straight-sets performances. The young Czech player will now contest a place in Saturday’s final against an opponent equally intent on securing a debut Grand Slam title match. Both competitors have capitalised on the draw’s opportunities following the early exits of several higher-ranked players.
WTA figures show that Ukrainian tennis has produced notable major results in recent seasons with multiple players reaching deep into the latter stages at various Grand Slams. Kostyuk’s current trajectory builds on that foundation while highlighting her development since turning professional as a teenager. Her progress at this edition continues a pattern of strong showings across different surfaces in 2026.
