Little to separate Muchova and Noskova in race to win first Grand Slam title

Before their respective semifinals, Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova had never played a match on Centre Court.

The two women from Czechia took a morning stroll around tennis’ most hallowed court, and practised together to get a feel for the place.

Less than 48 hours since that victorious Thursday, they will return to the prestigious lawns once more. This time for the most important fixture of their careers, and as foes and not friends.

It will be the first women’s singles final at Majors between compatriots since the 2017 US Open featuring Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens.

Linda Noskova.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

Four players representing Czechia have won women’s Grand Slam singles titles and all four have triumphed at the All England Club – Jana Novotna (1998), Petra Kvitova (2011 and 2014), Marketa Vondrousova (2023) and Barbora Krejcikova (2024).

A fifth will be crowned on Saturday; as to who it will be is anybody’s guess.

Both won grass-court warm-up events – Muchova in Bad Homburg and Noskova in Berlin – and have seamlessly stretched that form into the Wimbledon fortnight.

If Muchova’s affinity for grass is best expressed in her court-craft and tactical nous, Noskova’s game flows from her punchy serve.

“We are all brought up in the same way in Czechia in our game styles, but in some ways we are very different.” Noskova said.

“We are very creative, I would say. And grass allows us to use any side [multiple facets] of tennis – if it was serve and volley back in the day, and if it’s slices and volleys in this new era.”

Numbers, though, suggest that there is little separating the two. They have only met once before – in a third-round encounter that Muchova won at the 2025 US Open.

Muchova is the 10th seed and Noskova ninth, and they have both played 14 sets en route over six matches.

Muchova has hit 39 aces to Noskova’s 33, and won 79% of her first-serve points and 61% on the seconds to her opponent’s 74% and 57%.

The only points of difference may be in that Muchova has past experience of playing a Major final – lost to Iga Swiatek at Roland-Garros 2023 – and in the strength of opponents vanquished at SW19.

Muchova, 29, has overcome three multiple-time Slam winners on the trot – Krejcikova, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff. Noskova, 21, has beaten 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, 25th seed Elise Mertens and 2025 Australian Open champion Keys.

“It’s a very special moment,” Muchova said about being in the title-decider. “This is one of the biggest tournaments and so many legends have played here. [I am] Incredibly glad and happy that I have a chance to play another final.”

EOM