After battling through Wimbledon heat and pain in her mid-rib, Karolina Muchova saw the match swing both ways and even drift toward defeat. But the Bad Homburg winner refused to fold, saving a match point at 9-8 before beating Coco Gauff on Centre Court 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10). And once the victory was sealed, the Czech ace could barely find the words to describe what the win meant.

“First of all, it sounds really nice to be in the final,” Muchova said in her post-match interview. 

“Honestly, it was such a big fight. It was a roller coaster. As you said, you are up and down in 10 seconds. You have match point, then you have match point down, no time to think, but very nerve-breaking. I was I don’t know. I don’t even know what I am saying. I am kind of really shaking, trying to think, but that atmosphere here is indescribable,” she added later.

Later, when asked about the injury scare in the third set, after she was repeatedly trying to catch her breath and touching her ribs, the 29-year-old gave a calm update. “Yeah, I am okay. I am okay. I just was trying to catch your breath. You know, but now I’m good,” she added.

Playing in hot conditions, the 10th seed came through a wild match against the former world No. 2. It was a match that kept swinging from one side to the other.

The final-set battle turned into the longest part of the match. In fact, that third-set tussle lasted longer than the opening two sets combined. Even while dealing with pressure and pain, the Czech ace still found a way through.

With the win, the former world No. 8 booked her place in the second Grand Slam final of her career. Her first came at the French Open three years ago, where she finished runner-up to Iga Swiatek.

Muchová is also chasing a special piece of her country’s tennis history. She is aiming to become only the third Czech woman to win the SW19 singles title in four years, following Markéta Vondroušová in 2023 and Barbora Krejčíková in 2024. 

Still, with the final now ahead, an even tougher test may be waiting for her.

Karolína Muchová to face Marta Kostyuk or Linda Nosková on Saturday

With her place in the final now secured, Muchová could next face either Linda Nosková or Marta Kostyuk. Their semi-final will guarantee a first-time Grand Slam champion in the women’s draw at SW19.

If the final brings a clash with the 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, the numbers are firmly in Muchová’s favour. The 29-year-old holds a 2-0 H2H lead over the Ukrainian. Those wins came last year at the Wuhan Open and in the Round of 16 at the US Open.

The picture is a little different if Linda Noskova comes through instead in the second semi-final. Noskova has faced the fellow Czech only once before. That meeting came at the US Open last year.

Even in that match, though, Muchová found a way through. Despite losing the opening set, Muchová bounced back strongly to take the next two and move into the following round.

With the second semi-final already underway, SW19 is now closing in on crowning a brand-new Grand Slam champion. The stage is set for a fresh name to lift the title. Who do you think will win the final on Saturday? Share your thoughts below!