
Kostyuk extends best winning run to reach first Madrid semi-final
Marta Kostyuk extended her career-best winning streak as she beat Linda Noskova to reach the Madrid Open semi-finals for the first time.
In windy conditions in the Spanish capital, Kostyuk seized control to claim a 7-6 (7-1) 6-0 victory over Noskova in just 87 minutes.
Noskova started well, getting an early break to take a 2-0 lead before Kostyuk fought back with two of her own in a topsy-turvy first set.
After the Ukrainian had stormed into a 4-2 lead, Noskova levelled the score again, with the players trading breaks all the way to a tie-break in which Kostyuk found her footing, giving up just one point.
From there, Kostyuk was in complete control, winning the second set with a bagel, and she failed to give Noskova a single opening, rounding the match off on her first match point.
After winning her ninth match in a row, Kostyuk will now face lucky loser Anastasia Potapova as she aims to reach her first-ever WTA 1000 final.
"Conditions were incredibly difficult for both of us," Kostyuk said in her on-court interview.
"It was very windy, very cold, and I felt like we started to gain some [momentum] only towards the end of the first set.
"Until then, I think we both weren't sure where the ball was going sometimes. But I'm happy that I did my strategy very well."
Raise your hand if you're a semifinalist! @marta_kostyuk | #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/Sv7ZTMfWMX
— wta (@WTA) April 29, 2026
Data Debrief: Kostyuk shows clay-court dominance
Including the men's singles draw, Kostyuk is currently the only player to reach the semi-final at the Madrid Open this year without conceding a set or claiming a comeback win en route.
Kostyuk won 82.3% (28/34) of points on the return of second serve against Noskova – the highest rate of any player in a single WTA-1000 match this season.
Noskova (15) saved more break points versus Kostyuk than any other player has faced in the opening set of a WTA-1000 match so far in 2026 – Diana Shnaider and Ann Li faced 12 versus Iva Jovic and Aryna Sabalenka, respectively. Overall, the Czech defended 17 of the 19 she faced.











