Karolina Muchova

Linda Noskova Wins Dramatic All-Czech Wimbledon Women’s Final Over Karolina Muchova

July 12, 2026 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

BY JAMES BECK

CHARLESTON, S.C. – – They apparently were good friends, but except for the last five games of the second set Karolina Muchova hardly appeared to have a chance against talented 21-year-old Czech Linda Noskova in Saturday’s Wimbledon women’s final.

And as it turned out, Noskova made sure she didn’t give her veteran Czech friend a chance to spoil things in 17 of the other games. That was enough to give Noskova a convincing 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over the 29-year-old Muchova.

YOUNG WIMBLEDON CHAMPION LOOKS FOR REAL

Noskova appeared headed for an easy win when she jumped out to a 6-2, 5-2, 40-love lead. At that point, she owned triple match point.

Muchova took those next five games to even the match at one set each as Noskova appeared to lose her dominance for a few more games. Noskova’s balls were going everywhere except the court.

Noskova finally regained her powerful game of big serves and ground strokes that Muchova couldn’t handle. Noskova finally ended things in the third set on a sixth match point in the two hours and 27 minutes match.

HEIGHT COMES IN HANDY FOR BOTH PLAYERS

Both players used their heights of the 5-10 and 5-11 variety, but Noskova demonstrated her big game best as she held service in all nine of her service games in the first and third sets.

It was just that five-game collapse by Noskova in the second set when she gave away five match points that made things a little more interesting for the Wimbledon crowd.

Otherwise, the newly crowned No. 7 player in the world looks like a player ready for the Grand Slams.

She definitely hits a big forehand and a powerful serve. Those two characteristics should take her a long ways the next decade.

—

James Beck was the 2003 winner of the USTA National Media Award for print media. A 1995 MBA graduate of The Citadel, he can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.

Iga Swiatek Is This Generation’s All-Time Great In Women’s Tennis With 2023 Roland Garros Win

June 10, 2023 by Randy Walker 1 Comment

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Just 15 months after being suddenly thrust into the top position in women’s tennis, Iga Swiatek is now becoming the face of this generation of women’s tennis.

The 22-year-old from Poland won her fourth major singles title and her third at Roland Garros with a tense at the end 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. It was only in March of 2022 when Swiatek won the title in Indian Wells, the second biggest of her career at the time, to move into an ultra-satisfying position of No. 2 in the world behind the dominate Ash Barty, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions. Swiatek had only previously been the shock winner of Roland Garros in 2020 when ranked No. 54. However, Swiatek was unexpectedly and suddenly launched into being the world No. 1 when Barty announced her surprise immediate retirement and Swiatek, who was satisfied for the moment at being No. 2 was now the world No. 1. She gracefully adopted to her new responsibility by not only winning the title in Miami that week but winning Roland Garros again in 2022 and then later that year at the U.S. Open.

Now with her third French title and fourth over all major, she is undoubtedly the face of this generation of female tennis players

Swiatek, who had not lost a set en route the final, led by a 6-2, 3-0 margin over Muchova, highly talented and regarded, but ranked only No. 43 and appearing in her first major final. It appeared a routine rout final was at hand. However, Muchova, who fought back from being 5-2, match point down against world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, staged a comeback by taking the second set 7-5, seizing on some closing jitters from Swiatek and connecting more with her aggressive all-court play. Swiatek was able to fight back from a service break down twice, fight off additional break points and in other tight situations and held serve for 5-4 in the final set. Continued aggressive play put her at 15-40, double match point, when Muchova, unfortunately, double-faulted to lose the match.

“Honestly, I think just belief” said Swiatek to Maria Taylor on NBC television on what was the difference for her winning the Roland Garros final over Muchova.

Swiatek joins Monica Seles (1990, 1991, 1992), Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario (1989, 1994, 1998), Margaret Court (1969, 1970, 1973) and Serena Williams (2002, 2013, 2015) as a three-time Roland Garros singles champion, in fourth place all-time. With her fourth major, she equals the number of majors won by the likes of Kim Clijsters, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Naomi Osaka and Hana Mandlikova.

Roland Garros Final-Round Picks – Will Iga Swiatek or Novak Djokovic Be Shock Upset Losers?

June 9, 2023 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Iga Swiatek vs. Karolina Muchova

Karolina Muchova has had a breakthrough Grand Slam tournament by reaching her first major final. She was down 2-5, 0-30 in the third set against No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals before coming back to win. Muchova will probably have a bit of a feeling of satisfaction just getting to a major final and will probably have some nerves in the final too. This is old hat to Iga Swiatek, who will be gunning for her third French title and fourth overall major. She hasn’t lost a set en route to the final and won’t lose one in the final either. You may see Muchova swing for the fences with nothing to lose at some point and will keep it close but Swiatek is your 2023 Roland Garros women’s singles champions.

Novak Djokovic vs. Casper Ruud

This will be history as Novak Djokovic will win his record-breaking 23^rd major title. As Mary Carillo said on NBC Sports, he’s got a great chance to also win the Grand Slam by also sweeping Wimbledon (where he is a huge favorite) and also the U.S. Open. Ruud might make it interesting by grabbing a set but Novak reigns supreme in Paris this year.