Noskova sees off Kostyuk to book all-Czech Wimbledon final with Muchova

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Noskova[/a] took just 79 minutes to see off Ukrainian 12th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostyuk-marta/8CZqQdSa/"]Kostyuk[/a] in sweltering 33C heat on Centre Court.[/p][p]In her maiden Grand Slam final, the ninth seed faces her 10th seeded compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muchova-karolina/Or4Qa1ye/"]Muchova[/a], who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] in a three-set thriller earlier on Thursday.[/p][p]Noskova had never been past the quarter-final of a Grand Slam prior to arriving at Wimbledon last week. Now the 21-year-old is on the brink of her maiden Grand Slam title.[/p][p][b]"I just tried to keep cool, be as patient as possible and somehow get the last point,"[/b] Noskova said.[/p][p][b]"When I play my best I know I can play with the best players in the world and a have a great result, which is a final in a Grand Slam I guess!"[/b][/p][embed guid="19cbc320-9a1b-4ad1-a00f-9ae3d38f3b1e" url="https://x.com/Wimbledon/status/2075272863024611707" social-type="twitter" /][p]For the third time in the last four years, there will be a Czech women's champion at Wimbledon after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krejcikova-barbora/2FyACZYi/"]Barbora Krejcikova[/a] in 2024 and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vondrousova-marketa/EgKYrSR5/"]Marketa Vondrousova[/a] in 2023.[/p][p]Wimbledon has a rich history of Czech winners, with Noskova inspired by the success of her childhood idol [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvitova-petra/0vypNf1t/"]Petra Kvitova[/a], who triumphed at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/novotna-jana/j1D44hfi/"]Jana Novotna[/a] memorably won Wimbledon in 1998 after losing two previous finals.[/p][p]Noskova was the eighth Czech player since 2000 to make it to the final four of the women's singles at Wimbledon.[/p][p][b]"Karolina is such a great fighter, such an incredible player, but mainly she is such a great person. I'm glad I can play my first final against her,"[/b] Noskova said of facing her compatriot.[/p][p]Two players from the same country will clash in the Wimbledon women's final for the first time since 2009, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-serena/ttsu68nH/"]Serena Williams[/a] beat sister Venus.[/p][h2]Ice-cool[/h2][p]There was little to separate Noskova and Kostyuk in a first set that turned into a war of attrition.[/p][p]The crucial moment was a self-inflicted wound as Kostyuk served a double fault on set point to hand Noskova the lead.[/p][p]Noskova scented blood and broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set.[/p][p]With a place in the final within touching distance, she allowed Kostyuk to break back.[/p][p]But Noskova was unfazed, celebrating a nerveless victory after Kostyuk's forehand sailed long on match point.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="a55c0628-f9f5-4f00-8f2b-e0be93f0440a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8a6b8620-82f1-4fec-a657-0d49dab1b64e" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Kostyuk had won 21 of her previous 22 matches, with her only defeat coming in the French Open semi-finals against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreeva-mirra/lI6fOOat/"]Mirra Andreeva[/a] in June. But once again she fell just short of a place in a first Grand Slam final.[/p][p]Noskova may not be a star just yet, but she has won more matches on grass than any other player on the WTA Tour in the past two years.[/p][p]In the lead-up to Wimbledon, she won the Berlin Open for her first grass-court title. She has taken that impressive form into the All England Club, leaving her on the brink of a life-changing moment on Saturday.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/kostyuk-m-8CZqQdSa/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/?mid=xfGKOsMH"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p]