LONDON: Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk made quick work of Italy’s 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini on a sweltering Center Court to speed into her first Wimbledon semifinal 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday.
The 12th seed was a woman in a hurry from the start as she took the opening set in 36 minutes, breaking Paolini to go 3-2 up and then again at 5-3 as temperatures soared over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
The 24-year-old, appearing in the Wimbledon singles quarterfinals and on Center Court for the first time, had lost her last two meetings with her 13th seeded opponent but used her powerful forehand to telling effect in an impressive victory.
She broke Paolini again to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, with the Italian not getting a sniff of a break point, and then held serve.
With Queen Camilla watching from the Royal Box, the crowd cheered for the Italian underdog but Kostyuk closed out remorselessly on 69 minutes with a second match point on her opponent’s serve.
