Kostyuk breaks Navarro curse to reach Wimbledon last 16

Court No. 2 hosted one of the most eye-catching results of the day in the Wimbledon third round. Twelfth seed Marta Kostyuk defeated Emma Navarro, a player she had faced four times in her career and lost to on every occasion, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to claim her first victory over the American on the biggest stage of their rivalry. After a battle lasting one hour and 44 minutes, the Ukrainian star reached the last 16 at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.

Kostyuk started brilliantly, pocketing the opening set in quick time with her trademark aggressive game. Navarro regrouped in the second, drawing on her grass-court form to level the match, but the third set belonged entirely to the Ukrainian. Allowing her opponent just a single game, Kostyuk closed out the contest in commanding fashion.

The victory is historic on several levels. Kostyuk had reached the third round at the All England Club twice before but had never gone further; now she has booked her place in the second week for the first time. She achieved it, moreover, in her first grass-court event of the season and against one of the most in-form players on the surface. Navarro, who reached the final in Nottingham and knocked out Iga Swiatek in Bad Homburg, had been widely considered the favourite.

Kostyuk, however, is enjoying the best spell of her career. The 24-year-old has won titles in Madrid and Rouen this season, reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and has now won 19 of her last 20 matches. Ranked 13th in the world, the Ukrainian has proven that the incredible momentum she built on clay can carry over to grass.

For Navarro, the defeat is a bitter blow. The American had reached at least the fourth round at Wimbledon in each of the past two years, including a quarterfinal run in 2024, but this time leaves London before the second week.

Kostyuk will face the winner of another third-round clash in her section of the draw. With the Ukrainian looking at her peak both physically and mentally, how far her Wimbledon journey can go is one of the most intriguing questions of the second week.

Match Stats
Score: 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 · Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes
Winners: Kostyuk 9 – Navarro 2 · Unforced errors: Kostyuk 5 – Navarro 10
Breaks: Kostyuk 4/9 – Navarro 1/5

Image: NewsNation