Muchova, after reaching the Wimbledon final: "If the pain didn't go away, I would have to have surgery"

Iker Jiménez | 9 Jul 2026 | 19.32

Muchova opens up about her injury ordeal after reaching the Wimbledon final. Source: Getty

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Karolina Muchova is already in the second Grand Slam final of her career. The Czech defeated Coco Gauff in an exciting Wimbledon semifinal to become, for the first time, a finalist at the All England Club. In a match of great physical and mental exertion, the world number seven once again showed the varied and offensive tennis that has propelled her to contend for the title.

After coming close to conquering Roland Garros in 2023, Muchova will compete in another Grand Slam final. She will face her compatriot Linda Noskova, with the hope of clinching the first major title of her career. Prior to that, the Czech reviewed the key moments of the match in a press conference, talked about her physical issues, her recovery from the wrist injury, and the success of Czech women's tennis.

After reaching the Wimbledon final: "I wanted to lose in my own way"

"That tie-break was a rollercoaster for me. At one point, I hit a great winner and the next made a horrible mistake. I just kept telling myself I had to keep hitting. I thought that if I was going to lose, I wanted to do it my way. And my way is to be aggressive, go forward, and come to the net. Coco is an incredible athlete and always finds one more ball, but that's my game, and I wanted to stay true to it."

With 8-8 in the super tie-break, you received a warning for exceeding the serve time. Did it affect you?

"I forgot about it. I completely forgot about the time warning. I suppose I was right on the edge. Honestly, I didn't even look at the clock. I was just trying to take a bit more time. I don't think it affected me much, to be honest."

It was your first match on Centre Court. How was the experience, and how do you feel physically?

"The court is amazing. I had the chance to warm up here this morning, and I think that helped me a lot to get used to the surroundings. It's a beautiful court, it was completely full, and the atmosphere was spectacular. It was a very tough battle both physically and mentally. In the end, I just had a stitch, it had nothing to do with my abs. I just couldn't catch my breath and was trying to massage the area to make it go away. It was a real fight."

Why do you think the Czech Republic produces so many great players?

"I don't have a theory. We have a great history in Czech tennis. When I was little, I saw players who were barely five years older than me succeeding at the highest level, which made me believe that I could achieve it too. It's nice that such a small country has so many good players."

It will be your second Grand Slam final. Will you do anything differently from Roland Garros 2023?

"It's been three years, and I don't remember exactly what I did then. I'll try to maintain the same routine I've followed these two weeks here. We'll train for about 30 minutes to get back the feel for the court and conditions. Then I have half a day free, I'll have a nice meal and every day I go to the same café. These are small details that help me."

Did you think the match was lost when Coco played that drop shot on match point?

"Honestly, I thought I was going to get there. In a previous drop shot, I couldn't return it and she won the point. This time, I was glad the ball didn't go over the net."

What does it mean for you to reach another Grand Slam final?

"It's a very special moment. It's a huge achievement. Wimbledon is one of the most important tournaments out there, with all its history and all the legends who have played here. Just being able to play a match on Centre Court is incredible. I'm very happy to have achieved it and to have another opportunity to play a final."

Less than a year ago, you were still recovering from the wrist injury. Did you always believe you'd return to this level?

"There were only two options: either the pain disappeared, and I could play again, or I would have to have surgery. I never thought about changing my playing style to live with the pain. We worked very hard, and now I can play normally again."

Does paddle tennis help you in your tennis?

"It's hard to say. Sometimes when I hit a good volley in practice, we joke that it comes from paddle tennis. We play a lot with my team and have a lot of fun."

You're frequently asked about the success of Czech women's tennis. Does it tire you?

"Honestly, yes. I get asked this question almost every other day. It's nice because it means our country is doing something very well, but there comes a point when you don't know what else to say."

Did you always think grass would be a favorable surface for you?

"I never thought about it. In the Czech Republic, we almost always play on clay, and then when you get to the circuit, hard courts prevail. I think I'm a player who adapts quite well to all surfaces. I like them all because they allow for using different skills and playing styles. I always look forward to the surface changes during the season."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Muchova, tras alcanzar la final de Wimbledon: "Si el dolor no desaparecía, tendría que operarme"

Karolina Muchova