Czech player Linda Noskova claimed her first grand slam title at Wimbledon, saying the sight of the trophies by Centre Court helped her reset after missing five match points in a tense final against Karolina Muchova.
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Key facts
- Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in the women's singles final.
- It is the 21-year-old's first grand slam title.
- Noskova led 6-2, 5-2 but missed five match points before Muchova levelled the second set.
- She said seeing the trophy by Centre Court helped her reset at a vital time.
- Noskova is the sixth Czech woman to win the title in the Open era.
Linda Noskova has won the Wimbledon women’s singles title, defeating her fellow Czech Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in a dramatic final to claim her first grand slam crown.
The 21-year-old said the sight of the trophies sitting by Centre Court helped her regroup at a crucial moment. “What really helped me … the trophies were there,” she said after the victory, according to the Guardian.
Noskova appeared to be cruising when she led 6-2, 5-2, but the match took a turn as she missed five match points and Muchova battled back to level the contest by taking the second set 7-5.
Facing the prospect of letting a strong lead slip, Noskova took a bathroom break and, in her words, reset brilliantly. She returned to take the deciding set 6-3 and seal the championship.
The win makes Noskova the sixth Czech woman to lift the Wimbledon title in the Open era, adding her name to a notable list of players from the country to have triumphed at the All England Club.
The all-Czech final underlined the strength of the nation in women’s tennis, with both finalists contesting the sport’s most prestigious grass-court title.
Why it matters
A maiden grand slam title is a career-defining moment for any player, and Noskova's win at just 21 marks the arrival of a new champion at the sport's most historic event. The all-Czech final also highlights the continued depth of Czech women's tennis on the biggest stage.
Timeline
- ‘I’m taking the big one’: Noskova says sight of trophies inspired Wimbledon triumph
The Guardian Sport: Noskova wins women’s singles after 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory ‘What really helped me … the trophies were there’ A jubilant Linda Noskova said seeing the Wimbledon trophy sitting by Centre Court helped her reset at a vital time as she clinched her first grand slam title with a dramatic