Ninth-seeded Linda Noskova and 10th-seeded Karolina Muchova will meet in Wimbledon’s all-Czech women’s final on Saturday. Neither has ever won a major title.
It will be the first time in almost 10 years that two women representing the same country will meet in a major final. Last time: 2017 US Open, when Sloane Stephens defeated Madison Keys.
Who will win? We asked an expert.
1:34
Muchova wins wild tiebreak with Gauff to advance to Wimbledon final
What can Muchova do to defeat Noskova?
Darcy Main: Keep playing with her trademark destructive brand of tennis. Muchova can do it all on the tennis court and move anywhere. She is one of the most complete players on tour right now.
With her style and ability, she has defeated three major champions Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Barbora Krejcikova in the past two weeks, earning her 10 consecutive wins. Muchova had to dig deep and stay focused when she faced match point in the final set tie-break with Gauff in the semifinals. Even though she was clearly exhausted and had spent more than two and a half hours in the intense heat, Muchova continued to find her way, scrambling and diving all over the court.
That’s exactly what she needs to do to win her first Grand Slam title on Saturday. It’s been three years since she last reached a major final, and although there were injuries involved, Muchova has experience playing for a Grand Slam title with the world watching. Muchova had a chance against Iga Swiatek at the 2023 French Open, becoming the only player in the Paris final to push Swiatek into the final.
Now, perhaps understanding the emotions that come with coming so close to achieving tennis immortality, she will need to express it the best she can and continue to do exactly what she has been doing throughout the entire tournament.
Bill Connelly: Please continue to serve us greatly. Muchova and Noskova have two of the most effective serves in the match, but Noskova’s serve has become almost unmanageable as the tournament has progressed. Since being broken five times in a close third-round win over Sorana Cirstea, Noskova has held 94% of the time, with 30 holds in 32 service games.
Muchova’s returns are slightly better on average, but it’s hard to imagine her creating too many break point chances. The key is to keep chasing. In the semi-final match against Gauff, she showed a slow serve and her ability is more than sufficient.
1:38
Noskova defeats Mertens in straight sets to advance to Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time
What can Noskova do to defeat Muchova?
Maine: For Noskova, a big hitter, it may all come down to serve. This weapon, the centerpiece of her game, was effective and devastating for opponents at Wimbledon and throughout the grass season. In Thursday’s semifinal match against Marta Kostyuk, she won 74 percent of her first serve points (the same percentage on average across all six matches) and didn’t even face a break point until the second set.
“My serve was insane,” Kostyuk said after the match.
“I know I’m a good returner. There wasn’t much I could do today. I didn’t have many chances.”
Noskova will need to use that weapon again in the final to prevent Muchova from getting into points as much as possible. Easier said than done, but Noskova held off a number of experienced opponents on the grass, including Madison Keys in the round of 16 and Jessica Pegula in last month’s Bad Homburg final. Having won both singles and doubles titles in Germany, it is clear that Noskova has everything it takes to win on the ground.
She’s been seemingly unfazed and mostly unperturbed for the past two weeks, and she’ll need to maintain that same attitude Saturday.
Connelly: Please be patient with Larry. Muchova’s beautiful offensive game is a strength and creates a lot of easy and quick points for her, but historically Noskova has excelled in long rallies.
Admittedly, such rallies may not be as common due to the good serve of both players, but winning the resulting rallies can be even more important. Noskova’s steady, clean game shines beautifully on grass, but Muchova can confuse you.
Who will win?
Maine: This is a battle between two players who know each other well. There will be few surprises for either player, as they will be doubles partners (and near-medalists) at the 2024 Olympics. But while neither showed much nerve throughout the tournament, major finals, especially at Wimbledon, can overwhelm even the most mentally tough players.
Noskova will likely be competing for many competition titles over the coming years, but Muchova is currently gaining experience in the team and is brimming with confidence after one impressive victory after another. This is finally hers. There are 3 sets of Muchova.
Connelly: My head says Noskova. She has won 20 of her last 24 matches on grass and continues to improve as the tournament progresses.
However, it is impossible to shake the idea that this is Muchova’s era. She reached the semifinals of the Grand Slam tournament for the fifth time, and finally reached the final for the second time. She also defeated Noskova in her only official match. She had been waiting for this moment. There are 3 sets of Muchova.
