Save
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
AAA
London: Linda Noskova joked earlier in the Wimbledon fortnight that she didn’t know how to celebrate wins.
There was no need to manufacture anything this time.
When Karolina Muchova’s return failed to clear the net to seal Noskova’s maiden grand slam title, she fell to her back, put her hands over her face and soaked in a moment that everyone had expected to happen more than an hour earlier.
Linda Noskova overcame a second-set meltdown to win her maiden grand slam title at Wimbledon.AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
She went from dominating the first-ever all-Czech women’s grand slam final to losing five championship points, finding herself in a deciding set and fearing she might have blown it in a second-set meltdown.
The agony of that shocking implosion was replaced with relief, joy and overflowing tears as Noskova steadied to beat her friend 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in a two-and-a-half-hour rollercoaster of emotions.
Related Article
The 21-year-old is the third Czech champion at the All England club in the past four years, joining Barbora Krejcikova (2024) and Marketa Vondrousova (2023). She continues a proud Czech tradition at the tournament, which also has Martina Navratilova, Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova on its honour roll.
“It feels incredible, and all these matches have been so tough, so physically and mentally tough – today especially,” Noskova said.
“It’s never easy to get the last point. Karolina, you really made me work for it. We’re friends, and I’m so glad I could play my first grand slam final with you. I think we made history today. I believe that all our Czech fans at home are proud of us, and no matter the result today, it was a good day for both of us.”
After acknowledging her father in the stands, Noskova also tearfully recognised her late mother, who lost her cancer battle on Wimbledon eve two years ago.
“I would definitely not be standing here without her,” she said.
“I don’t cry normally – this is not OK for me. I have been enjoying these two weeks so much; all the sad tears, all the happy tears, all the sweat and blood that went into it. I will definitely never forget these two weeks.”
Noskova had to steady after failing to serve the match out in the second set.Getty Images
The drama started with Noskova serving for the title while a set and 5-3 up. She was unflappable right until the time she needed to be most.
Having already had three championship points on Muchova’s serve in the previous game, Noskova raced to 30-0, and within two points of a first Wimbledon and grand slam trophy.
Related Article
Suddenly – with the finish line in sight – Noskova got the wobbles, having dominated to that stage. She began spraying shots she was comfortably making earlier. Another championship point came and went on a double fault.
Noskova’s world-class serve held Muchova off for a while, including three consecutive aces at 180kmh-plus on break-back points.
However, her jangling nerves would not settle. On Muchova’s seventh opportunity, Noskova tugged a routine forehand wide. It was game on, but first, Muchova had to hold serve.
Again, Noskova was on the brink of victory – but on her fifth championship point, Muchova produced a clutch forehand that she curled into the corner to deny her agonised countrywoman once more.
Muchova not only levelled the second set at five-all, but Noskova’s unravelling was complete in the next game, when she ballooned a forehand long off a short return to trail for the first time.
After covering her ears to try to block out the crowd noise at the previous change of ends, this time Noskova buried her head in a towel. Neither tactic worked. Minutes later, Muchova had, somehow, levelled the contest at a set-all.
Karolina Muchova was fighting back tears in her post-match speech.Getty Images
There was a realistic scenario where Noskova might not have recovered.
Instead, the new set provided the circuit-breaker the ascending star so desperately required, at least once she survived three more break points in the opening game.
Related Article
Losing one of those might have been too much for Noskova to overcome, but she fearlessly struck forehand winners on the first two, then as good as a third on the last of them when Muchova could not retrieve the ball. By holding serve, the young Czech snapped a five-game run against her.
Noskova did even better a game later, breaking Muchova for 2-0 with another forceful forehand. It was the shot that failed her a set earlier, but it was crucially back doing more damage to Muchova than her.
The countdown started right then. Everyone wanted to see, assuming the opportunity arose, how Noskova would handle serving for the title a second time.
There was no need to worry. Noskova crushed her 10th ace to earn a sixth championship point and needed just one more serve to seal her place in Wimbledon history.
It is a remarkable development for a player who, in her words, was “lost” when she stepped onto a grass court for the first time in Birmingham three years ago. But the Czech star has always been a quick learner.
Noskova’s triumph at the Berlin Open on grass last month was only her second career title at the time.
Noskova received the winner’s trophy from the Princess of Wales.AP Photo/Kin Cheung
Now, she has three, and will rise to a personal-best ranking of No.7, one behind Muchova, who was playing her second grand slam decider after losing the 2023 Roland-Garros title match to Iga Swiatek.
“It’s really tough to find any words,” an emotional Muchova said.
“But I’ll start with Linda, my ex-friend. I’m kidding, obviously, kind of. You’re so young, and this was your first grand slam final. The way you handled it, and the way you played, was really unbelievable … I hope I’ll get the chance to get to the final again.”
This almost didn’t happen for Noskova, who was match point down to Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the third round last week.
But her confidence and form improved the longer the tournament went – and the player she beat in the semi-finals, red-hot Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, conceded there was little she could do against Noskova, whose serving she described as “insane”.
It was much the same against Muchova, outside that tension-filled period at the end of the second set.
Fittingly, Kvitova was in the Royal Box to watch Noskova’s major breakthrough.
One of Noskova’s earliest tennis memories was watching Kvitova win the first of her two Wimbledon titles in 2011. Kvitova is a mother-of-three these days and played at the All England club for the final time last year, but she can be content that Czech tennis is in safe hands.
Marc McGowan travelled to London with Tennis Australia’s support.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Save
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
From our partners