Linda Noskova was one point away from becoming Wimbledon champion. Five times.
The Czech tennis player dominated the first set 6-2 and even went up 5-2 in the second, but Karolina Muchova saved five championship points and rattled off five games to level the final at 7-5. The title had to be decided in a third set.
Five championship points that changed the final
Noskova approached the second set with the same aggression she had shown from the start. Her serve, the depth of her shots, and her ability to accelerate from the baseline left Muchova without answers for many minutes.
The world No. 12 even had four championship points before 5-5. She had a fifth in the next game, but Muchova neutralized it again with her forehand and managed to hold serve.
From there, the match took a turn. Muchova broke Noskova's serve to go up 6-5 and closed out the set with a forehand winner. The 21-year-old went from touching the title to having to start over in the third set in a matter of minutes.
A historic final between two Czech players
The 2026 final is the first ever contested entirely by two Czech players in the history of Wimbledon and Grand Slam tournaments.
Muchova was reaching her second Grand Slam final after Roland Garros 2023. For Noskova, it was the first time she had surpassed the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Both had won eleven of their twelve previous matches on grass during the season.
Linda Noskova's tournament
Noskova reached the final after eliminating Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals.
The Czech built her run around a very solid serve and a forehand capable of shortening rallies. Before Wimbledon, she had won the Berlin tournament, confirming her growth on grass.
Muchova, on the brink again
Muchova had also had to survive an extreme situation in the semifinals.
The world No. 9 eliminated Coco Gauff after saving a match point in a tiebreak that ended 12-10. Two days later, she once again avoided defeat when Noskova had five opportunities to close out the final.