Muchova's heroics sink Gauff to seal all-Czech Wimbledon final with Noskova

LONDON, July 9 : For a place in the Wimbledon final, Karolina Muchova was ready to put her body on the line. A maiden Grand Slam title could heal all her past wounds when she takes on Czech compatriot Linda Noskova on Saturday.

Even as Muchova's surgically patched-up body went hurtling towards the turf after conjuring a showstopping dive volley to catch Coco Gauff off guard in their semi-final, she never lost sight of the ball.

So what if the shot had taken the racket out of her hands or that the fall could once again damage a body that had already been put through the wringer with an assortment of ankle, abdominal and wrist injuries?

That single-minded focus allowed Muchova to end Gauff's incredible run of living dangerously at this year's Wimbledon as she saved a match point in the third set tiebreak to topple the American in a nerve-shredding 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10) thriller.

ALL-CZECH FINAL

With compatriot Noskova beating Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-4 in Thursday's second semi, a subdued contest by comparison, the duo set up an all-Czech women's final at a Grand Slam for the first time.

It also meant that for the third time in four years a Czech will hold aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish — after the triumphs of Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.

"It was such a big fight. It was a rollercoaster, you're up and down," a beaming 29-year-old, still trying to catch her breath, told the crowd.

"In 10 seconds you have a match point, then you're match point down. There's no time to think, but very nerve-racking. I don't even know what I'm saying.

"I'm really shaking and trying to let it sink in, but the atmosphere here, indescribable."

Many of the fans who had sweltered on the edge of their seats as Muchova and Gauff went