Wimbledon 2026: Muchova in the final against Noskova

Especially in the nerve-wracking match tiebreak, the 29-year-old showed her full skill set, including a diving volley winner, and played Gauff with a lob to secure her first match point. Gauff had saved a match point at 8:9 and shortly afterwards had a chance to win at 9:8 herself, but she hit a forehand wide. At 9:10, the 24-year-old's forehand landed out, allowing Muchova to convert her second match point.

Drama in the tiebreak

"Es war so ein harter Kampf, es war eine Achterbahnfahrt", Muchova described the match. "Ich wollte so geduldig und ruhig wie möglich bleiben und einfach den letzten Punkt machen." At temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius, Muchova had seemed a little tired at the end of the match. By Saturday, however, she would do everything to be fully fit again in the all-Czech final against Noskova.

"Ich kann es schon nachvollziehen, dass die beiden super nervös und angespannt sind", said Angelique Kerber, 2018 Wimbledon champion, on Prime Video. "Es klingt wirklich nett, im Finale zu sein", Muchova added. For Gauff, meanwhile, the dream of a third Major title ended after her triumphs at the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open.

For the two-time Grand Slam winner Gauff, it was a bitter setback on the road to further Major glory. After losing the first set, she had partially turned the match around and initiated the change with powerful play. In the tiebreak, however, Muchova proved to have the stronger nerves and won the decisive points.

Noskova souverän in the second semifinal

In the second semifinal, Linda Noskova had less hard work to do. The 21-year-old Czech, seeded twelfth in the WTA world rankings, defeated Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk comfortably 6:4, 6:4 in a rather unspectacular duel. After 1:19 hours, she wrapped up the victory.

For Noskova, it is the first final at a Grand Slam tournament. "Ein Semifinale bei einem Grand-Slam-Turnier zu spielen ist aufregend, egal gegen wen du spielst", Noskova said ahead of her first Major final. After winning the opening set 6:4, she continued solidly in the second set and gave Kostyuk little chance.

Kostyuk, who is not exactly known as a grass specialist and at Church Road this year reached past the third round for the first time, did briefly step up and earned her first break point of the match. At 4:5, however, she had to serve to stay in the match and lost after two backhand errors that gave Noskova two match points.

Historic duel

For Noskova, following the lost semifinal at the French Open against Mirra Andreeva around five weeks ago, this is already her second consecutive Major semifinal. Now she is aiming for her first Grand Slam title in the final, while Muchova is seeking her first Major coup.

The final between two Czech players is the first Wimbledon final between compatriots since 2009, when Serena Williams forced her sister Venus to her knees. Overall, it is the first all-Czech Major final since the 2017 US Open, when — during Sloane Stephens' triumph — all four semifinalists came from the USA.

Czech dominance at Wimbledon

The Wimbledon trophy in women's singles has found its way to the Czech Republic several times in recent years. Petra Kvitova triumphed at Church Road in 2011 and 2014, before Markéta Vondroušová lifted the trophy in 2023. Twelve months later, Barbora Krejčíková was the most recent Czech to celebrate on the hallowed grass. However, Vondroušová was banned for four years in June after refusing a doping test.

The tournament's total prize money this year amounts to 74.4 million euros. Muchova, who won the tournament in Bad Homburg last week, goes into the final as the more experienced player. With her win against Gauff, the 29-year-old impressively underlined her class on grass.

Outlook on the final

The final between Muchova and Noskova takes place on Saturday and promises a high-class duel between two top Czech players. While Muchova hopes for her first Major title, Noskova can already make history with a win, becoming the first Czech player since Krejčíková to triumph at Wimbledon again.

For Muchova, after the exertions against Gauff, it will above all be about recovering physically. The heat and the length of the semifinal have taken their toll. But the dream of the Wimbledon title is within reach for the experienced Czech — and with Noskova waiting as an opponent whom she must take seriously despite her lesser experience on the big stage.