Noskova sets up all-Czech Wimbledon final with Muchova

LONDON: Linda Noskova moved into her first Wimbledon final on Thursday after beating Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4, setting up an all-Czech title match against Karolina Muchova.

The ninth seed took 79 minutes to overcome Ukraine’s 12th-seeded Kostyuk in temperatures reported at 33C on Centre Court. Noskova had never gone beyond the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam before this year’s Wimbledon and is now one win away from a first major title.

Speaking after the match, Noskova said she had tried to stay composed in difficult conditions.

“I just tried to keep cool, be as patient as possible and somehow get the last point,”

She added:

“When I play my best I know I can play with the best players in the world and have a great result, which is a final in a Grand Slam I guess!”

Noskova will now face her compatriot Muchova, the 10th seed, in what will be Noskova’s first Grand Slam final. She praised her opponent ahead of the title match.

“Karolina is such a great fighter, such an incredible player, but mainly she is such a great person. I’m glad I can play my first final against her,”

For the third time in the last four years, Wimbledon will crown a Czech women’s champion, following Barbora Krejcikova in 2024 and Marketa Vondrousova in 2023. Noskova has also drawn inspiration from Petra Kvitova, her childhood idol, who won at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014. Jana Novotna also lifted the Wimbledon title in 1998 after losing in her previous two finals. Noskova is the eighth Czech player since 2000 to reach the women’s singles semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Muchova saves match point to beat Gauff

Earlier on Thursday, Muchova booked her place in the final by defeating Coco Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(12-10) in a dramatic semi-final, saving a match point along the way.

Muchova had surged into a 4-1 lead in the deciding tiebreak and then extended it to 6-3, but Gauff fought back and earned match point first before the Czech eventually came through. The 29-year-old was appearing in a Wimbledon semi-final after having lost in the first round in each of her previous four appearances at the tournament.

After her victory, Muchova described the contest as physically and emotionally draining.

“It sounds really nice to be in the final. It was such a big fight. It was a rollercoaster, you’re up and down,”

She continued:

“In 10 seconds you have a match point, then you’re match point down. There’s no time to think, but very nerve-racking. I don’t even know what I’m saying.

“I’m really shaking and trying to let it sink in, but the atmosphere here, indescribable.”

Gauff had won six of her previous seven meetings with Muchova, but Muchova had taken their most recent match in Stuttgart earlier this year and again got the better of the two-time Grand Slam champion. The Wimbledon women’s final will also be the first between two players from the same country since 2009, when Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus.