Karolina Muchova overcome nerves, pain and inspired rival Coco Gauff to book a spot in her first Wimbledon final after prevailing in a thriller that rates as arguably the best women’s match played this fortnight.
Considered one of the best players without a slam, and too often cursed by injury, the Czech has the change to etch her name onto the honour board of the world’s most famous tournament after edging the American champion 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10).
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
A finalist at Roland Garros in 2023, the 29-year-old awaits the winner of a clash between her compatriot Linda Noskova and Ukraine star Marta Kostyuk, but as talented as those rivals are, ensuring she is fit for the final could be her biggest challenge.
In the latter stages of a gripping semi-final, the No.10 seed reached repeatedly to the lower region of her right rib cage and was clearly in discomfort, though the issue did not prevent her from producing some remarkable tennis to post her biggest win.
There was some delightful tennis played, with the variety on display elevating its viewability, a saving grace for fans sitting in stifling conditions on Centre Court in a semi-final that lasted 2hr 35min on a day the temperature reached 34C.
Rather than solely swapping laser-beam groundstrokes barely skimming the net being walloped at 100 clicks an hour, the rivals exchanged dinks and chips, volleys and lobs. Guile and placement was as important as power in this thriller.
In the infancy of the match, Muchova managed this better and her ability to stretch Gauff around the court forced repeated errors from the younger player, with a couple of mistakes proving particularly costly for the American star.
Already trailing a break, the most critical came when trailing 1-3 when she overhit a sitter of a smash to hand over another break. The errors kept mounting as chances evaporated. Game points were earned and squandered far too regularly.
But Gauff is resilient. Her willingness to hang tough won her the French Open just over a year ago.
She kept presenting against Muchova and started to turn the tide in the infancy of the second set, eventually seizing one of those chances when chasing down another acutely angled backhand from her rival and whipping it for a winner crosscourt.
The dual-grand slam champion is an outstanding athlete, with her defensive capabilities arguably the best in the world given her coverage, but she was able to change the momentum because of willingness to keep attacking the net.
Service breaks were a feature of the opening two sets but in the third, both women held with distinction as the battle for a spot in the final edged towards a thrilling conclusion.
The former US Open and Roland Garros champion was under pressure in her second service game of the third set, but again her hands at the net helped her out of a tricky spot and enabled her to level at 2-all.
A beauty of Gauff’s work at the net was her ability to guess correctly and cover the passing shots of her rival. She would drop a ball short and then cover the net like a gazelle, which her hands a feature as the semi-final progressed.
In an awkward spot in the ninth game, Muchova produced a classical serve-and-volley point, stretching wide to make a difficult forehand volley before angling a backhand volley away for a winner. This was tennis for the purists.
Gauff had an initial opportunity to seize a break in this game, but netted a backhand on a second serve. Another presented after a point that demonstrated every facet of her talent – power, touch and brilliant court coverage – but it also went begging.
Muchova was able to hold on and looked to the Heavens in relief after her rival’s backhand narrowly missed the line.
It was an extremely physical battle but despite the scorching temperature, neither woman wilted. Muchova was able to work herself out of another hole at 5-all with some brilliant ball striking as the quality of the tennis played rose to its highest level.
This continued in the super tiebreaker resplendent for initially for is remarkable shot-making and then for its nerves late in the piece when the reality of the stake at hand came sharpest into view.
Muchova’s superb hands won her the fourth point with a miraculous forehand volley. Gauff’s exceptional court coverage won her a point she scrambled madly for to stay within reach of her rival.
The Czech dived Boris Becker-style to make another forehand volley, drawing applause even from her rival for her effort. The American rolled a delightfully dipping forehand crosscourt pass in response.
An epic rally won by Gauff left Muchova keeled over. But a double-fault from Gauff – just her second for the match – gave her rival an 8-7 lead, only for her rival to overcook a short forehand.
At 8-all, Muchova was called for a time violation and she followed with one of her poorest backhands. Could the result turn on the intervention of the umpire?
But on Gauff’s match point, she opted for a forehand drop shot rather than clubbing a short forehand and dropped it into the bottom of the net.
The Czech earned a match point with a beautiful forehand lob but then slipped when trying to lunge for a forehand volley. But after another extended rally that had both players scrambling wildly, ultimately Gauff found a ball she could not make.
Gauff departed the vanquished, but demonstrated she is more than capable of winning on grass. And Muchova was into the final, but with a question lingering.