'Super special' Roger Federer moment spurs Marta Kostyuk to Wimbledon quarter-final victory over Jasmine Paolini

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Marta Kostyuk beat former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini in straight sets to advance to the semi-finals at SW19, needing just over an hour to round out her 6-3 6-2 win over the Italian. She plays Linda Noskova in the semi-finals.

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The Ukrainian 12th seed was making her debut on the Wimbledon Centre Court but showed no signs of nerves in what wound up being a routine victory. Kostyuk did not face a single break point on serve as she moved into the semi-finals with ease in 69 minutes.

But afterwards she revealed that while this was her Centre Court debut as a player, it was not quite the first time she had been here - in any guise.

”First time playing on this unbelievable court and obviously, it's a dream come true winning here," she said in her on-court interview.

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"[It] was not even in the plans today, I just wanted to go out and enjoy and put on a good show.

”I was on this court as a spectator once nine years ago watching Roger [Federer], it was super special.”

Kostyuk then said her coach arranged for her to have a little look around when she made the quarter-finals, so she would not be overawed by the experience of walking out of the clubhouse and onto the court itself.

”Thank God my coach made me walk here yesterday, I was flabbergasted by this entrance and everything inside.

”I was like, 'Wow, I need one day to recover from everything I saw',” she joked.

”To be back here as a player, I made like a walk of honour around the court and I sat beside it and took a moment to soak it in and now [I’m] soaking it in again.”

Kostyuk made the semi-finals at Roland-Garros and remains one of the most in-form players on the women's tour right now, having lost just once in her previous 22 matches.

That defeat was to eventual champion Mirra Adreeva in the French Open semi-finals.

Having not played a grass court warm-up tournament, Kostyuk has still surprised many by her emphatic form at SW19, especially given she has never been beyond the third round here and lost last year to a qualifier in the first round.

As such, she would have been forgiven if the occasion had affected her - but Kostyuk looked comfortable from the get-go, her power from the baseline doing for Paolini, who never established any foothold in the match.

”It is always a joy to play in front of a packed stadium and here it is always packed, so thank you guys for the energy today,” she added. ”I’m sure people are happy with the weather in London, but not us on court.

"It is back to back [matches], I’m playing again tomorrow. But you know, I’m excited to be back here and play in front of you again.”

Kostyuk plays Linda Noskova in the semi-finals after the ninth seed beat Elise Mertens in straight sets.

The duo have played once before, Kostyuk winning comfortably in Madrid earlier this season.

The Ukrainian has never made it to the final of a Grand Slam but will have the opportunity to do just that on Thursday.

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