Watch this: Kostyuk wins Wimbledon opener with stunning defense

World No.19 Marta Kostyuk eased through her first-round match at Wimbledon, defeating No.105 Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 6-2. What looked like an effortless scoreline was anything but for the Ukrainian star, who dazzled with her remarkable court coverage and defense to secure the win.

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Seeded No.18 at Wimbledon, Kostyuk snapped a three-match losing streak by earning her first win over Sramkova. After securing the first set, Kostyuk led by a break in the second set when Sramkova played a point at 4-2 that forced Kostyuk to show off not only her footspeed, but her ability to decelerate and change direction quickly on the slippery grass. 

Once Kostyuk was able to push her way back into the court, she unleashed her counter-punching skills with a perfectly whipped forehand passing shot. 

Watch the full point below:

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Kostyuk will face Australia's Daria Saville in the second round. Saville scored her first Grand Slam victory of the year and first at Wimbledon since 2018 by defeating Peyton Stearns 6-4, 6-2. It will be the first meeting between the two since 2018.

In the midst of the best season of her career, Kostyuk is bidding to progress past the third round at Wimbledon for the first time. Victory over Saville would give her back-to-back wins for the first time since making the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in April.