Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk defeats world’s No. 8 seed to reach Olympic quarter-finals

Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk (WTA ranking No. 19) has defeated Greece's Maria Sakkari (seeded 8) in the 2024 Olympics round of 16. 

Source: Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company

Details: The match lasted 2 hours and 49 minutes, ending with a score of 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

The 22-year-old from Kyiv started strong in the first set, winning three games in a row, but then allowed Sakkari to take the lead. The first set ended with a score of 4-6.

The tennis players put on a decent show in the second set, with lost serves and continuous "swings". Their play ended in a natural tiebreak, in which Kostyuk proved the stronger.

The third set was similar to the second. With a 5-4 lead, Kostyuk served for the match, but her nerves got the better of her. Yet she dominated the next game and ultimately came out on top. 

Marta is the only Ukrainian player left in the singles tournament, as Elina Svitolina lost in the third round to this year's Wimbledon champion, Barbora Krejčíková.

In the quarter-finals Kostyuk will face Croatian Donna Vekic, who beat No. 2 seed Coco Gauff in a controversial match.

Marta Kostyuk is also competing in the doubles at the Olympics alongside Daiana Yastremska.

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