Karolina Muchova, whose injury-plagued career nearly ended prematurely four years ago, is now on the verge of a life-changing moment at the All England Club. The Czech world number nine will play in the first all-Czech Wimbledon final on Saturday against 21-year-old Linda Noskova. This marks Muchova's second Grand Slam final, following her loss at the 2023 French Open.
Muchova's Health and Comeback
Muchova, a music lover and daughter of a former footballer, was advised to quit tennis in 2022 due to persistent injuries. However, she has made a remarkable recovery. “I’m healthy, which I don’t like to say — touch wood,” she said. “I’m happy that now I’m selling my game and that I can use it. I’m definitely appreciating more the time that I’m here. I don’t have these big issues that I had in the past. I’m enjoying the moment that I’m here.”
If Muchova wins, she will become the sixth Czech Wimbledon women’s champion and the third in the last four years, after Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.
New Coach and Recent Success
Before this season, Muchova hired Dutch coach Sven Groeneveld, who previously worked with Maria Sharapova and Monica Seles. The collaboration has proven successful, with Muchova winning titles in Doha and Bad Homburg — only her second and third singles titles. “He has brought calm, a sense of perspective, lots of experience to the team. The things he tells me and that we do on court make sense,” Muchova said.
Music and Personal Interests
Muchova comes from a football family: her father Josef is a former Czech top-flight midfielder and coach, and her brother Filip is a goalkeeper. However, Muchova is primarily a music fan. She plays the guitar and attends concerts by Shawn Mendes, the Backstreet Boys, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga. “I always played well after that,” she said. During the 2020 US Open, played under strict Covid restrictions, she composed a song called ‘US Open Bubble’ and published it on Instagram.
Muchova is also an avid reader, favoring autobiographies and “esoteric and educational literature.” She prefers physical books: “The trip to a bookstore in itself is an adventure. I have also tried audiobooks, but I have found out I need paper and reading.” She emphasizes switching off: “I want to use every hour to switch off — good food, good coffee, a phone call with someone close, going to a theater, to have energy for tennis again.”
Charity and Business Ventures
Muchova has started a charity drive, donating $190 for each ace to a Czech foundation, and is co-founding padel courts in her native city of Olomouc.
The Wimbledon Final
Facing Noskova in the final is special for Muchova. The two became close friends after forming an impromptu doubles pair for the Paris Olympics in 2024, finishing fourth. Muchova won their only previous encounter, in the third round of the 2024 US Open, motivated by watching a Lady Gaga concert. With the Wimbledon title on the line, Muchova will again use music to prepare: “It’s always music for me. Headphones, a room where I’m alone, I close my eyes and get inside the mental space through the music I like.”
