Noskova advances to all-Czech Wimbledon final after defeating Kostyuk

By Karan Malhotra — 9 July 2026 — 4 min read

Linda Noskova secured her place in the Wimbledon final, delivering a composed performance to defeat Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4. This victory marks Noskova’s first major final appearance and sets up an all-Czech championship match against Karolina Muchova.

Noskova, who arrived at Wimbledon as a promising young talent yet to achieve a Grand Slam breakthrough, completed that journey with a clinical display. Her win ensures that a new women’s champion will be crowned for the ninth consecutive time at the tournament.

Noskova’s path to the final

The match saw Noskova maintain composure throughout, a key objective for her. She reflected on her performance, stating that she typically acknowledges success after a tournament concludes, but for now, her focus remains on the upcoming final.

The 21-year-old demonstrated a mature game under pressure, ending Kostyuk’s impressive run. Noskova’s serve was a significant factor in her victory, remaining largely unchallenged for most of the afternoon. She faced only one break point during the match, which occurred at 3-1 in the second set.

Noskova effectively capitalised on Kostyuk’s vulnerabilities, securing three breaks of serve. Notably, she broke Kostyuk when the Ukrainian served to stay in both sets. This consistent pressure allowed Noskova to control the flow of the match.

Kostyuk, who had been in strong form after reaching the French Open semi-finals and winning a significant number of her recent matches, found it difficult to counter Noskova’s consistent play. Noskova herself had built momentum by winning the Berlin Open title before Wimbledon.

The early stages of the match were closely contested, with both players settling into their serves. Opportunities for breaks were scarce, and the points won were evenly distributed for the first eight games. However, the dynamics shifted when Kostyuk served to stay in the opening set at 4-5.

At this crucial juncture, Kostyuk’s play tightened, allowing Noskova to create three set points. After saving the first, Kostyuk committed a double fault, handing the first set to Noskova. From that point, Noskova’s serve became even more dominant, delivered with a consistent, unhurried rhythm.

Noskova acknowledged her dedication to improving her serve over the past few years, highlighting its importance on grass and hard courts as a powerful tool. She focuses on her own service games, letting the return games unfold as they may.

In the second set, Noskova secured an early break to love. She dictated play from the baseline with power, forcing Kostyuk onto the defensive. Her first serve continued to yield easy points. Noskova has demonstrated her comfort on grass courts, having won more grass-court matches than any other woman on tour since the beginning of last season.

Kostyuk managed to earn her first break point midway through the second set, converting it with a forehand winner and then holding her serve. Despite this, Noskova remained steady, holding her serve again and using her forehand to move Kostyuk around the court before closing out points efficiently. Kostyuk again faltered under pressure, with two loose backhands giving Noskova two match points. Although Kostyuk saved one with a forehand winner, another forehand drifted long on the second match point, sealing Noskova’s victory.

Kostyuk praised Noskova’s serving, describing its quality as exceptional and noting that she, as a strong returner, had few opportunities to break. She managed one break but generally did not come close to other break points.

An all-Czech final

The final will feature two Czech players, Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova, marking the first time two women from the same nation have reached a Grand Slam final since the 2017 U.S. Open. Muchova defeated Coco Gauff in her semi-final match, which included a super tiebreak.

Noskova’s victory took just one hour and 19 minutes. She won an impressive 83 per cent of points at the net and 40 per cent of receiving points, converting half of her six break point opportunities against Kostyuk.

Noskova, at 21 years old, is the youngest finalist since Jelena Ostapenko in 2018. She expressed her excitement about facing Muchova, describing her as a great fighter, incredible player, and good person. Both players are familiar with each other’s game, having even practiced together before their semi-final matches.

Noskova shared her superstitious routines, which involve numerous daily behaviours, including using the same routines in the morning, the same lunch, and the same bathroom and sink. She intends to maintain these routines for the final.

Reflecting on her journey, Noskova mentioned that she did not watch much tennis as a child but distinctly remembers Petra Kvitova winning her title at Wimbledon, which made her aware of the sport. She looks up to Kvitova, who she considers the face of Czech tennis when she was growing up.

Noskova has had a strong grass-court season, winning the title in Berlin last month and securing 10 victories in her last 11 WTA Tour matches. She hopes to emulate Kvitova, who won Wimbledon titles in 2011 and 2014.

The women’s singles final is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.