Muchova beats Gauff in deciding-set tiebreak to reach Wimbledon women’s final

Coco Gauff’s Wimbledon campaign came to a disappointing end after she missed a match point in semi-final defeat to Karolina Muchova. Gauff fought back from a set down to take the match to a deciding set tie-break.

LONDON–Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova saved a match point to reach her first Wimbledon final with a pulsating three-set win against Coco Gauff on Thursday. Muchova held her nerve in a gripping final set tie-break, winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) in two hours and 35 minutes in searing temperatures on Centre Court. READ: Karolina Muchova wins […]...Keep on reading: Wimbledon: Karolina Muchova beats Coco Gauff in 3 to reach final

Karolina Muchova defeated Coco Gauff an a rollercoaster first Wimbledon semi-final.

Karolina Muchova defeated Coco Gauff an a rollercoaster first Wimbledon semi-final.

Karolina Muchova defeated Coco Gauff an a rollercoaster first Wimbledon semi-final.

Coco Gauff is left to rue a regulation miss on match point as Karolina Muchová and Linda Nosková set up an all-Czech date at Wimbledon.

Twenty-two points, 18 minutes, one winner - how Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff's "rollercoaster" semi-final was decided by an astonishing tie-break.

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) -- Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova saved a match point to reach her first Wimbledon final with a pulsating three-set win against Coco Gauff on Thursday. Muchova held her nerve in a gripping final set tie-break, winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) in two hours and 35 minutes in searing temperatures on Centre Court. In the final, Muchova will face Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova or Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who meet in the other semi-final later on Thursday. Muchova is into her second Grand Slam final and her first since finishing as the 2023 French Open runner-up. In her first Wimbledon semi-final, Muchova exorcised the ghosts of her previous dismal experiences in south-west London. The 29-year-old had lost in the first round on her previous four appearances at Wimbledon. Gauff had won six of her seven previous meetings with Muchova, but the Czech won their most recent encounter in Stuttgart this year and once again she got the better of the two-time Grand Slam champion. "It sounds really nice to be in the final. It was such a big fight. You are up and down, no time to think but it was very nerve-wracking," Muchova said. After battling injuries earlier in her career, Muchova is finally fulfilling her potential, but even she has been taken aback by her success at Wimbledon over the last fortnight. 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. - Gripping finale - Muchova is at last unimpeded after suffering a multitude of injuries in recent years, including problems with her right wrist, left wrist, abdomen, back, thigh, ankle and foot. In 2022, doctors told Muchova that it would be a good idea for her to quit tennis altogether, while in 2023 and 2024 right wrist surgery sidelined her for 10 months. Now she is just one win away from a maiden Grand Slam title. Gauff, seeded seventh, had struggled badly with her serve for much of the tournament and has the most double faults on the women's tour this year. Muchova took advantage of that glaring flaw to break in the third game of the first set and again in the fifth. The Czech sealed the set with an ace, sending Gauff scurrying to the sanctuary of the locker room to compose herself. Gauff had 12 unforced errors in the first set, but in keeping with her tenacious character, she hit back with a dominant second set that could not have been more different to her spluttering start. Steadying her serve and playing with far more purpose and intensity, she broke for a 3-1 lead and emphatically closed out the set to force a decider. The final set was a nerve-jangling battle, with break points saved by both players as the tension mounted and Muchova appearing to suffer an abdominal injury. Muchova had a flawless record in tie-breaks this year, a run she maintained in style, diving full length to volley a stunning winner that even Gauff was forced to applaud. Muchova was given a time violation for delaying her serve at 8-8 and the warning rattled the Czech, who blazed a forehand long to give Gauff a match point. But Gauff let Muchova off the hook with a weak drop shot into the net. Muchova floated a sublime lob over Gauff to bring up a match point but she slipped at the net as the American hammered a winner past her. Undeterred, Muchova kept the pressure on Gauff and finally closed out the most memorable win of her career.

The 22-year-old was 9-8 up in a deciding 10-point tie-break and just had to lift the ball over the net into an empty court to win.

Wimbledon 2026: Karolina Muchova beats Coco Gauff after epic tie-break to set up all-Czech final against Linda Noskova  Sky SportsWimbledon 2026 results: Karolina Muchova beats Coco Gauff in epic tie-break to reach final  BBCMuchova holds nerve for first Wimbledon final  WimbledonWimbledon 2026: Muchova beats Gauff in thriller to set up all-Czech final with Noskova – as it happened  The GuardianWimbledon 2026: How Gauff, Kostyuk, Muchova and Noskova have found their feet on grass  BBC

Karolina Muchova saved a match point to beat Coco Gauff 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10) after an epic deciding set tie-break to set up an all-Czech final against compatriot Linda Noskova.

Karolina Muchova saved a match point to beat Coco Gauff 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10) after an epic deciding set tie-break to set up an all-Czech final against compatriot Linda Noskova.

Karolina Muchova fights back from the brink of defeat to secure victory over Coco Gauff after a thrilling third-set tie break, to reach the women's singles final at Wimbledon 2026.

Czech 10th seed Muchova took full advantage to convert her second match point and reach her first SW19 final.

LONDON (AP) – Karolina Muchova ended Coco Gauff's run at Wimbledon in a drama-filled tiebreaker to reach the final on Thursday.

Karolina Muchova recovers from match point down to win an epic deciding-set tie-break against Coco Gauff and reach the final at Wimbledon.

BBC Sport's Naomi Broady analyses how Karolina Muchova came out on top in a thrilling three-set women's singles semi-final against Coco Gauff after a dramatic deciding tie-break.

Watch the dramatic third-set tiebreak on Centre Court between Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff which secures Muchova's place in the Wimbledon 2026 final.

Karolina Muchova held her nerve in a gripping final-set tie-break to beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10).

Czech 10th seed Muchova took full advantage to convert her second match point and reach her first SW19 final.

LONDON–Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova saved a match point to reach her first Wimbledon final with a pulsating three-set win against Coco Gauff on Thursday. Muchova held her nerve in a gripping final set tie-break, winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (12/10) in two hours and 35 minutes in searing temperatures on Centre Court. READ: Karolina Muchova wins Bad Homburg after Naomi Osaka injury In the final, Muchova will face Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova or Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who meet in the other semi-final later on Thursday. Muchova is into her second Grand Slam final and her first since […]...Keep on reading: Karolina Muchova beats Coco Gauff in thriller to reach Wimbledon final

She fell short in her quest to reach her first Wimbledon final.

Czech 10th seed clinched a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) victoryFaces compatriot Noskova or Ukraine’s Kostyuk nextCoco Gauff blew a golden chance to reach a first Wimbledon final as she lost a dramatic deciding set tie-break against Karolina Muchova.The 22-year-old came from a set down to take a tense semi-final the distance on Centre Court. But, on match point, Gauff dumped a simple winner into the net, a shot that will surely keep her awake at night for some time. Continue reading...

Wimbledon 2026 results: Karolina Muchova beats Coco Gauff in epic tie-break to reach final  BBCWatch Wimbledon semi-finals: Gauff holding firm in deciding set with Muchova  BBCMuchova holds nerve for first Wimbledon final  WimbledonWimbledon 2026 live updates: Women's semifinals with Kostyuk-Noskova after Gauff loses against Muchova  The New York TimesWimbledon tennis tips: Preview and best bets for the womens semi-finals on Thursday July 9  Sporting Life

Muchova becomes the fourth Czech woman in the last six years to reach the final of the grass-court Grand Slam.

The Czech No. 10 seed triumphed in an intriguing, up-and-down encounter on Centre Court.

For only the second time in eight career meetings, Karolina Muchova emerged victorious in a match with Coco Gauff. This one came at a big time.