Linda Noskova arrived at Wimbledon as a notable emerging talent seeking her first grand slam achievement, and she successfully accomplished that goal on Thursday. The Czech player put on a stellar performance, overcoming Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk with a score of 6-4, 6-4, thus advancing to the inaugural major final of her career.
“It was a great match. I stayed calm the whole time, which was the main goal. But I always realise any success or a good tournament after it’s done. Right now, I am focusing on the final.” Noskova stated. “It’s a tradition at this point,”
The 21-year-old maintained her composure amid the high stakes, showcasing a mature game that curtailed Kostyuk’s impressive tournament run. This match marked the first all-Czech final at Wimbledon, where she will face Karolina Muchova, promising to crown a first-time women’s champion for the ninth consecutive year.
“We are all brought up in the same way in Czechia, in our game styles, in our tennis, but we are very different. We are very creative. “Grass allows us to use any side of tennis: if it’s serve and volley back in the old days, if it’s slices and volleys in this new era.” Noskova remarked about the strong connection between Czech female players and Wimbledon. “I have been working on my serve for a couple of years now,”
“It has been a great help for me lately. On grass or hard courts, your serve is the most powerful tool. I try to focus on myself when I have my service game. Whatever happens on the return games, happens.”
Noskova demonstrated dominance on her serve throughout the afternoon.
She faced only a single break point—the only minor flaw in an otherwise stellar serving display—when she was at 3-1 in the second set. Noskova capitalized on Kostyuk’s weaknesses, breaking her serve three times, including when the Ukrainian attempted to fend off defeat in both sets.
Kostyuk entered the match in excellent form, having reached the French Open semi-finals and winning 21 of her last 22 matches. Conversely, Noskova had claimed the Berlin Open title prior to carrying that momentum onto Wimbledon’s grass courts.
The players quickly settled into the match, with neither willing to give an inch early on.
Noskova began with confidence, holding serve easily, but Kostyuk replied with an ace and aggressive groundstrokes to level the score. The rallies were crisp, and both players served effectively, creating few opportunities as they each secured 29 points after eight games.
The match shifted when Kostyuk served to remain in the first set at 4-5, where she began to feel the pressure.
Noskova seized the moment, earning three set points as the Ukrainian struggled to find her rhythm. Kostyuk saved the first set point but then made a critical double fault, handing Noskova the first set.
From that point onward, Noskova’s serve became nearly unbreakable, delivered with a calm consistency that has become characteristic of her game.
“Her serve quality was 9.5,” she explained.
“Doesn’t get better than this. I know I’m a good returner. Not much I could do today. “I broke her once, but generally I didn’t even come close to break points.”
Kostyuk sought to rally both herself and the Centre Court crowd, celebrating winning points with exuberant displays as she attempted to regain her footing in the match.
However, Noskova remained composed, breaking serve to love in the second set. With effortless power, she dictated the play from the baseline, consistently forcing Kostyuk into a defensive position, while her first serve generated easy points.
Having already surpassed all women on tour in grass-court victories since the previous season, Noskova appeared perfectly at ease on the surface.
Kostyuk eventually earned her first break point midway through the second set, which she converted spectacularly with a powerful forehand winner, subsequently holding serve to love, buoyed by one of the few rallies in the match.
Rather than succumbing to frustration, Noskova collected herself with another confident hold, her forehand repeatedly pulling Kostyuk across the baseline before finishing points with unyielding precision at 5-4. Kostyuk faltered once more under pressure, with two errant backhands granting Noskova two match points.
Although the Ukrainian saved the first with an impressive forehand winner, she could not repeat the feat on the second, as another forehand sailed long.
“Her serve quality was 9.5,” Kostyuk commented. “Doesn’t get better than this. I know I’m a good returner. Not much I could do today.
“I broke her once, but generally I didn’t even come close to break points.”
