London, July 4 (IANS) Elise Mertens toppled former champion Elena Rybakina in straight sets, while Marta Kostyuk surged past Emma Navarro to book a maiden place in the fourth round at the All England Club.

On a day of shifting momentum and growing belief, Mertens produced one of the standout performances of the tournament to defeat the second seed Elena Rybakina 7-6(4), 6-1.

The Belgian repeatedly forced Rybakina onto the defensive in a fiercely contested opening set. Twice Mertens earned a break advantage, and twice the 2022 Wimbledon champion clawed her way back to level terms. The set eventually headed to a tiebreak, where Mertens was the steadier player, taking it 7-4 with a series of clean, aggressive strikes.

That breakthrough changed the complexion of the match. Rybakina’s usually dependable serve began to wobble, and Mertens pounced. The Belgian swept through the second set, winning five games in a row and breaking serve twice as she wrapped up victory in just over an hour and a half.

The result sends Mertens into the Round of 16, where she will meet Marie Bouzkova. Bouzkova survived a marathon battle against Liudmila Samsonova, recovering from a set down to win 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 after more than three hours on court.

Marta Kostyuk also enjoyed a breakthrough afternoon, defeating Emma Navarro 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time in her career.

The Ukrainian started sharply, using her movement and variety to disrupt Navarro’s rhythm. After a tight opening stretch, Kostyuk seized control by breaking for 4-2 and carried that momentum into a dominant run that delivered the first set.

Navarro responded well in the second, forcing a decider, but Kostyuk produced her strongest tennis when it mattered most. She reeled off a stunning sequence of 11 consecutive points in the final set, racing away from her opponent and sealing the match with authority.

The victory continues an outstanding run for Kostyuk, who has now won 19 of her last 20 matches and improved her season record to 25-5. The Roland Garros semifinalist is also closing in on a maiden Top-10 ranking, climbing to No. 11 in the live standings.

Kostyuk converted four of her five break-point chances and repeatedly attacked Navarro’s second serve, winning 26 of the 36 points played behind it. Her reward is a fourth-round meeting with either fellow Ukrainian Daria Snigur or American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger.

With Mertens eliminating one of the title favourites and Kostyuk continuing her rapid rise, Wimbledon’s women’s draw took another dramatic turn on Saturday.

–IANS

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