Wimbledon quarter preview: Will 2024 runner-up Paolini return to final 4 in London? The quarterfinalists in the bottom half of the 2026 Wimbledon draw will take their turn on Wednesday to secure their places in the final four at the All England Club. The matches will unfold on Centre Court and No. 1 Court, featuring two high-profile encounters: No. 12 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine facing 2024 finalist and No. 13 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy, and No. 9 seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic battling No. 21 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium. The matches are set for July 8, with the order of play scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. The Kostyuk-Paolini clash on Centre Court marks a significant matchup for both players. Kostyuk, who has carried her strong clay-court form into Wimbledon, has reached her second Grand Slam quarterfinal of the year and third overall. Her performance at the tournament has been marked by resilience, including a straight-sets victory over qualifier Ashlyn Krueger, who had an 11-match winning streak. Kostyuk’s ability to adapt to grass courts has been a key factor in her success, and she emphasized her focus on refining her game during the tournament. “I think I adapt really well,” she said. “When I need to, I read well when I’m overdoing or not doing enough. I feel like today [vs. Krueger], you could see clearly how I was trying to change pace, I was not trying to, like, overhit and give her more balls. I think just giving myself this freedom of trying different things is definitely helping.” For Paolini, the quarterfinal represents a return to form after a season marred by injuries and inconsistent results. The Italian, who reached the final four in 2024, acknowledged the challenges she faced this year.#linda_noskova #elise_mertens #jasmine_paolini #wimbledon #martina_kostyuk
