London: Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova will contest an all-Czech singles final after contrasting Wimbledon semi-final victories created more tennis history for their country.
They were already the first Czech pair to both reach the women’s semi-finals at the All England club since Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova achieved the feat in 2014. Kvitova, who was Noskova’s idol growing up, went on to win her second Wimbledon title that year.
Now, one of Muchova or Noskova will join countrywomen Martina Navratilova (who defected to the United States in 1975), Jana Novotna, Kvitova, Marketa Vondrousova and 2024 winner Barbora Krejcikova as a Wimbledon champion.
Muchova, 29, outlasted one of the sport’s great fighters and biggest stars – American Coco Gauff – in a dramatic final-set tiebreaker to be the first player through to Saturday’s final.
The 10th-seeded Czech, who was runner-up to Iga Swiatek in the 2023 Roland-Garros decider and has endured a number of injury setbacks throughout her career, survived a match point before beating Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 [12-10] in an extraordinary semi-final.
Noskova enjoyed a more straightforward passage, breaking in-form Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who also reached the Roland-Garros semi-finals, in the final game of each set to complete a 6-4, 6-4 triumph that booked her first grand slam singles final.
“It sounds really nice to be in a final,” Muchova said.
“Honestly, it was a big fight, a rollercoaster, up and down. In 10 seconds, you would have a match point then be match point down, so you had no time to think. It was very nerve-racking, and I don’t even know what I’m saying – I’m shaking, and just trying to [let it] sink in. The atmosphere was indescribable.”
Serving at 9-8 in the super tiebreak, Gauff will forever rue her decision, and execution, to follow a sizzling first serve with a failed drop shot attempt that thudded into the net.
Both players produced breathtaking tennis in the tiebreak, but also each had regrettable moments that would have haunted whoever fell short.
Gauff’s match point followed chair umpire Alison Hughes’ contentious decision to give Muchova, who was about to serve, a time violation warning at eight-all. Muchova missed her first serve, fluffed her next ball toss, then made her second serve, only to balloon a backhand well beyond the baseline.
Then, after Muchova unleashed a magnificent forehand lob winner to bring up her first match point at 10-9, she lost her footing at the net and watched a Gauff forehand sail past her for a winner.
It was Gauff’s turn to slip on the next point, but Muchova was already on top at that stage before she struck a forehand into the open court to bring up her second chance to book a final spot.
There were no more twists to come as dual grand slam champion Gauff’s desperate attempt to extend the contest ended with her dumping an on-the-run forehand into the net.
Gauff, who had not won a grasscourt match for two years before this fortnight, was trying to rally from a one-set deficit for the third match in a row and win her fifth straight three-setter. She was also 4-7 down in the final-set tiebreak of her second-round victory over Argentine Solana Sierra.
Muchova was in complete control throughout the opening set before Gauff, who was stricken by errors in the early stages, sprung to life with an outstanding second-set performance that set up the thrilling finish.
Noskova, who has more grasscourt wins than any other woman in the past two years and captured the Berlin Open before Wimbledon, rode her powerful first serve to victory against Kostyuk. The 21-year-old had only one slip-up when she dropped serve after going a set and 3-1 up.
Kostyuk thumped a forehand winner to seal the break back, and let out a guttural roar after doing so, with her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, also on her feet in the stands.
But any hope of that moment being a turning point soon faded. Kostyuk could not make any further inroads on Noskova’s serve, and like the first set, she faltered in the 10th game.
A double fault cost Kostyuk the first set, and she again fell 0-40 behind at 4-5 in the second set. Kostyuk staved off one match point, but sprayed a forehand wide on the next as her latest bid for a first grand slam title ended.
“For me, it’s always about just focusing on myself, and on my game,” Noskova said.
“When I play my best, I know I can play with the best players in the world and have a great result, which [today] is the final of a grand slam.”
Cruz-ing into the semi-finals
Cruz Hewitt’s charge through the Wimbledon boys’ singles draw continued with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of ninth-seeded Bulgarian Dimitar Kisimov that advanced him to the semi-finals.
The 17-year-old rising star, who is ranked No.606 on the men’s tour, fired 10 aces past Kisimov among 22 winners and is yet to drop a set in four matches this week, including defeating seeded opponents in three consecutive contests.
Hewitt’s father, former world No.1 Lleyton, won the men’s title at the All England club in 2002, but lost in the round of 16 in the junior boys’ singles in 1997.
“It’s incredible [to be doing this at a tournament my dad won] because I still remember when I was little, hitting on these courts, coming to watch my dad play, and all my family [are here], so it’s definitely nice,” Hewitt said.
“But it’s just another step. I don’t think the job’s done yet. I would love to play another good match, next match, and that’s all I’m focusing on.”
Hewitt’s semi-final opponent, Dutch 11th seed Thijs Boogaard, promises to be his toughest yet. Boogaard, 18, won a round then pushed Daniil Medvedev to a final-set tiebreak at the ATP 250 event on grass at ’s-Hertogenbosch last month.
The last Australian to make the boys’ final at Wimbledon was Alex de Minaur in 2016.
Marc McGowan travelled to London with Tennis Australia’s support.
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