Coco Gauff was favored to reach her first Wimbledon championship match, but Karolina Muchova had other ideas in Thursday’s semifinal.
Gauff and Muchova faced off in the first of two Wimbledon semifinal matchups scheduled for Thursday. Muchova won the first game 6-2 before Gauff responded with a 6-1 win in the second game.
That set up the decisive third game, which Muchova won 7-6 after a 12-10 tiebreak to advance to the Wimbledon finals. Gauff had match point at 9-8 in the tiebreak set, but Muchova fought back to complete the win.
Gauff, at No. 7, was the highest remaining seed left in the women’s bracket at Wimbledon entering the semifinal round. Muchova is the 10-seed in the tournament, while No. 12 Marta Kostyuk and No. 9 Linda Noskova will meet in the other semifinal match.
In her six Wimbledon appearances prior to this year, the 22-year-old Gauff failed to make it further than the Round of 16. That changed with the Gauff’s quarterfinal victory over Jessica Pegula, Gauff’s ex-doubles partner, on July 7 to reach her first semifinal at Wimbledon.
“It’s pretty insane considering I hadn’t won a match on grass in two years before this tournament,” Gauff said after beating Pegula to reach Thursday’s semifinal. “I’m definitely really happy with how I played today.
“Jess is an incredible opponent and person. Playing against her is never easy. Her ball is so low and flat. I needed to trust that I can be there in the rallies, play the tennis I wanted to play.”
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Muchova, 30, defeated Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinal round to earn the matchup against Gauff in the semifinals on Thursday. She has battled numerous injuries during her tennis career.
“I’m happy that now I’m, like, selling my game and that I can use it,” Muchova said entering the semifinal round. “I’m definitely appreciating more the time that I’m here, that I can play, that I don’t have these big issues that I had in the past. I’m enjoying the moment that I’m here.”
The women’s Wimbledon final will take place on July 11. Muchova will face Kostyuk or Noskova.