Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk advanced to the semifinals at Wimbledon on Wednesday amid ongoing conflict in her homeland. As Kostyuk competed on Centre Court in London, residents of Kyiv were enduring another deadly missile attack launched by Russia. The 24-year-old said it has been a constant challenge to balance her focus on tennis with the distressing news from home.
Kostyuk, seeded 12th, defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-2 to reach the Wimbledon last four for the first time in her career. The match came just days after Russian strikes severely damaged residential areas near where her parents live in Kyiv. The recent attacks have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including children, adding emotional weight for the player. “It’s not easy to disconnect entirely,” Kostyuk remarked after the match. “I try to be aware of everything that’s going on, but I try not to let it influence me too much.”
This marks Kostyuk’s second consecutive Grand Slam semifinal, following her run at the French Open where she lost to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in an encounter that included no handshake—reflecting the tensions between Ukrainian and Russian players amid the ongoing war. Since the conflict began in 2022, Russian athletes have competed as neutrals in international tennis events.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently provisionally lifted its ban on Russia and recommended the removal of neutral status for Russian athletes across sports. The Kremlin welcomed this move as an important step toward restoring Russian athletes’ rights. Kostyuk expressed strong opposition to the decision, describing it as “terrible” and “far from fair play” for Ukraine and other nations. She added, “I 100 percent don’t agree with this decision. I just want to go out there and hopefully beat every single Russian I play in the Olympics.”
At Wimbledon, no Russian singles players remain. Kostyuk is set to face Czech player Linda Noskova in the semifinal on Thursday. In the other women’s semifinal, American Coco Gauff will play against Czech Karolina Muchova.
Kostyuk is the second Ukrainian woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals after Elina Svitolina achieved the feat in 2019 and 2023, although Svitolina was defeated in both occasions. When asked about the significance of possibly becoming Ukraine’s first Wimbledon finalist, Kostyuk noted that it would mean a great deal to her country.
Elsewhere at Wimbledon, the men’s semifinals are shaping up with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic set to face defending champion Jannik Sinner. Other quarterfinal matches included notable performances from players such as Alexander Zverev and emerging talents, highlighting a competitive tournament amid the broader geopolitical backdrop.