Linda Noskova beats Karolina Muchova in Wimbledon singles final to claim first Grand Slam title
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Linda Noskova is the latest in a long line of Czech women to win Wimbledon.
The 21-year-old Noskova recovered from a second defeat in which she wasted five points to beat Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in the final in the Czech Republic on Saturday for her first Grand Slam title.
When Noskova finally broke through with a service win for her sixth match point, she covered her face and fell to the grass on her back.
“It’s never been easy to get the last point,” Noskova said. “Karo, you really made me work.”
Noskova became the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass court title, after Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.
Muchova and Noskova played doubles together at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished fourth.
“I am very happy that I was able to play with you in the final of the first Grand Slam,” said Noskova to Muchova during her victory speech. “We made history today. I believe all our Czech fans at home are proud of us, so whatever the result was today I think it was a good day for both of us.”
Petra Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, was there, as well as Czechoslovakia’s greatest ever player, Martina Navratilova – who won a record nine singles at the All England Club.
Navratilova looked on from the Royal Box, where she was seated next to Kate, Princess of Wales, who presented the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy to Noskova.
Noskova became emotional during her victory speech when she talked about her mother, who died two years ago.
“I definitely wouldn’t be standing here without him, so thank you,” said Noskova, who then looked up and blew a kiss to the sky.
Navratilova wiped away tears as she listened to Noskova’s tribute to her mother.
Recently, Muchova began her first speech by calling Noskova “my former friend.
“I’m kidding, obviously,” Muchova quickly added. “You’re so young and this was your first Grand Slam final and the way you handled it … it was really unbelievable. … It’s worth it.”
It was the 29-year-old Muchova’s second Grand Slam final after being beaten by Iga Swiatek at the 2023 French Open.
In Sunday’s men’s final, top-ranked Jannik Sinner will try to defend his title against French Open champion Alexander Zverev.
He wasted opportunities
Noskova led 5-2 in the second set before losing five straight games to send it to the third.
When Noskova squandered an opportunity to take it 5-3 in the second, she put her fingers in both ears to block out the noise of the crowd. She then wrapped one strawberry-red Wimbledon towel around her head after dropping her serve and giving Muchova a 6-5 lead and a chance for her opponent to take it out – which Muchova did.
It is Noskova’s second title on grass this season after defeating Jessica Pegula in the Berlin Open final three weeks ago.
But as this game has shown, it was not easy at all. Noskova saved a match point in the third set of her third round match against Sorana Cirstea.
12th Noskova will move up to No. 7 – new job-top – when the next estimates are released on Monday.
Jana Novotna, one of Noskova’s first coaches, also won Wimbledon (1998).
Noskova is now the youngest woman to win Wimbledon since Kvitova was also 21 in 2011.
It also marks the second consecutive Grand Slam won by a player aged 21 or younger after Mirra Andreeva won the French Open at age 19 last month. It is the first time it has happened at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year since Justine Henin and Serena Williams, respectively, took those titles in 2003.
