Muchova and Noskova set up all-Czech Wimbledon final

Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova will put their friendship on hold when they fight each other for the Wimbledon title on Saturday. They duo have made history as this will be the first ever All-Czech final at the All England Club. 

Muchova saved a match point in a pulsating 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 semi-final win against two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff that lasted over two hours on Thursday.

Just hours later, also on the Centre Court, Noskova dispatched Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk with a dominant 6-4, 6-4 victory that took just 79 minutes.

It was a remarkable day for the two players who have grown close despite being at different stages in their respective careers.

Muchova and Noskova have been friends for several years, bonding off the court and playing doubles together at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"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.

Muchova made her WTA main draw debut nine years ago and has been on the cusp of making her breakthrough in Grand Slam competition several times.

The 29-year-old was beaten in three sets by Iga Swiatek in her only previous major final at the 2023 French Open.

She also lost in the Australian Open semi-finals in 2021 and in the last four at the US Open in 2023 and 2024.

Muchova, who had lost in the first round on her previous four appearances at Wimbledon, has embarked on an inspirational journey after suffering several injuries in recent years. 

In 2022, doctors told her that it would be a good idea to retire, while in 2023 and 2024 right wrist surgery sidelined her for 10 months.

Muchova takes "pills, sprays, eyedrops" to manage a grass allergy, but she is no longer adverse to playing on the lawns of the All England Club.

"It's a very special moment. It's a great achievement," Muchova said.

"This is one of the biggest tournaments that we have with all the history, so many legends were playing here, as well to just get to play on the Centre Court, it was so nice."

The Czech duo's run to the final has extended their country's rich history at Wimbledon. For the third time in the last four years, a Czech woman will hold aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish awarded to the Wimbledon winner after Barbora Krejcikova in 2024 and Marketa Vondrousova in 2023.