Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk easily defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini, runner-up of the 2024 Wimbledon tennis championship, 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court in extremely hot conditions on Wednesday, booking her spot in the semifinals of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships. The 12th seed appeared determined to settle the match from the start, finishing the first set in just 36 minutes after breaking Paolini's serve to lead 3-2, then breaking again to make it 5-3. Kostyuk, 24, was making her first appearance in the Wimbledon singles quarterfinals and her first match on Centre Court. Despite losing her last two meetings against her 13th-seeded opponent, she used the power of her forehand effectively to secure a convincing and impressive victory. In the second set, Kostyuk broke Paolini's serve again to lead 3-1, while the Italian failed to create any break points, allowing the Ukrainian to maintain her dominance and hold serve until the end.