LONDON: Linda Noskova swept into her first Wimbledon final with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Marta Kostyuk on Thursday, setting up an all-Czech title match against Karolina Muchova.
Noskova took just 79 minutes to see off Ukrainian 12th seed Kostyuk in sweltering 33C heat on Centre Court.
In her maiden Grand Slam final, the ninth seed faces her 10th seeded compatriot Muchova, who beat Coco Gauff in a three-set thriller earlier on Thursday.
Noskova had never been past the quarter-final of a Grand Slam prior to arriving at Wimbledon last week.
Now the 21-year-old is on the brink of her maiden Grand Slam title.
“I just tried to keep cool, be as patient as possible and somehow get the last point,” Noskova said.
“When I play my best I know I can play with the best players in the world and a have a great result, which is a final in a Grand Slam I guess!”
For the third time in the last four years, there will be a Czech women’s champion at Wimbledon after Barbora Krejcikova in 2024 and Marketa Vondrousova in 2023.
Wimbledon has a rich history of Czech winners, with Noskova inspired by the success of her childhood idol Petra Kvitova, who triumphed at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014.
Jana Novotna memorably won Wimbledon in 1998 after losing two previous finals.
Noskova was the eighth Czech player since 2000 to make it to the final four of the women’s singles at Wimbledon.
“Karolina is such a great fighter, such an incredible player, but mainly she is such a great person. I’m glad I can play my first final against her,” Noskova said of facing her compatriot.
Two players from the same country will clash in the Wimbledon women’s final for the first time since 2009, when Serena Williams beat sister Venus.
Ice-cool Noskova
Kostyuk had won 21 of her previous 22 matches, with her only defeat coming in the French Open semi-finals against Mirra Andreeva in June.
But once again she fell just short of a place in a first Grand Slam final.
Noskova had advanced to her first Wimbledon semi-final with a straight-sets win against Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens.
That made her the youngest Wimbledon semi-finalist since Jelena Ostapenko in 2018.
Noskova may not be a star just yet, but she has won more matches on grass than any other player on the WTA Tour in the past two years.
In the lead up to Wimbledon, she won the Berlin Open for her first grass-court title.
Noskova has taken that impressive form into the All England Club, leaving her on the brink of a life-changing moment on Saturday.
There was little to separate Noskova and Kostyuk in a first set that turned into a war of attrition.
The crucial moment was a self-inflicted wound as Kostyuk served a double fault on set point to hand Noskova the lead.
Noskova scented blood and broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set.
With a place in the final within touching distance, she allowed Kostyuk to break back.
But Noskova was unfazed, celebrating a nerveless victory after Kostyuk’s forehand sailed long on match point.
