Noskova reveals the key to her Wimbledon victory: "I saw the trophies and told myself I was going to take the big one"

Carlos Navarro | 11 Jul 2026 | 22.15

Noskova spoke after proclaiming herself champion of Wimbledon. Source: Getty

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The Wimbledon 2026 final did not disappoint and lived up to all the expectations surrounding it. An electrifying match, showcasing not only great tennis but also tension and the nerves typical of someone who knows they are about to clinch their first Grand Slam: ultimately, Linda Noskova became the new champion, breaking into the winner's circle thanks to a mentally giant third set, displaying the ability to emotionally recover from a setback that is hard to explain.

She was up 5-2 (after comfortably winning the first set), had five match points... but felt the pressure of experiencing her first Wimbledon and surrendered five consecutive games, sending the final into the deciding set. There, the Czech player adjusted a couple of unfamiliar elements to get back on track and emerge as the ultimate champion, insights she shared in an entertaining and mature press conference that reveals facets of the mentality propelling Linda into the tennis Olympus.

Noskova shares the reasons behind her Wimbledon triumph: they include a trip to the bathroom

- Are you aware that you are already the Wimbledon champion?

"No, I am not yet. I feel like only a couple of minutes have passed since I left the court. It's incredible, something that I will surely remember forever, but I know I will need a few days to realize what I have achieved."

- What was going through your mind while Muchova was saving match points in the second set

"The second set was very difficult for me. My hand froze at certain moments, I felt how my legs weren't as quick as they used to be. I prefer to focus on the positive things (smiles). On the last match point, I didn't even realize it was a championship point. I just stayed strong. That's what made me win, not having it in my mind. When I realized I had won, I kind of relaxed. All the stress escaped from my body, all those thoughts that don't stop about whether I'm going to win this or that. I was thinking about whether it was 5-3, if I was going to hold my service or not... those were not easy moments, but I'm glad I closed it in my first attempt in the third set."

- How did you mentally readjust after what happened in the second set to end up winning it in the third

"I just told myself that the match was starting over. I was in the bathroom, splashed some cold water on my face and told myself it was time to start fresh. What really helped me, on the first step I took off the court, I noticed the trophies were there. I thought: 'I'm not going to take the small one, I'm going to take the big one'. I was focused on the big one, thinking I was going to take it home no matter what, that I was going to leave my all in the third set. I was very close. If I didn't win, it was going to be the suffering of my life."

I started over. Perhaps the first game was key, that crucial point saving a break point and the moment when I held my serve. Those points were crucial. I am brave enough to admit that the third set wouldn't have been the same if maybe I had lost that first game. I lost five games in a row in the second, so it was extremely important to start strong in the third. Karolina had some chances with my serve in that first game, but I'm glad I kept calm and played similarly to the first set."

- How did you recover from the eruption of joy from the crowd after the end of the second set: you didn't sink thanks to advice from your coach

"The crowd got really loud, and it was after the games I had lost, so I tried to stay within myself for a while. I throw the towel over my head after a lost break or things like that. One of the things my coach told me last night is that if I need a moment, take it, whether going off the court or being by myself in a moment. I don't know if what I did helped me in those moments or not, but it was to keep me isolated from all the noise."

- What does winning this match and returning after a Roland Garros you described as "disastrous" say about yourself

"It means a lot. It means that if I focus on myself, if I enjoy my time on the court, if I am aware that I can win and keep my head down, going point by point... I can win a tournament like this. With my tennis, sometimes I never know what to expect (laughs). I felt very good on the court throughout these last two weeks and a couple of weeks ago as well, and it showed."

- How did you manage to display your best tennis on many occasions... in what was your first Grand Slam final

"I don't know either. I tried to replicate the feelings I had in previous rounds. I wasn't too nervous before my matches, so I tried to stick to my routines and everything that had worked for me before. Today, all of that was different. I've played some finals. Finals are finals. No matter what you do, there is always pressure. You always want to stay calm, act like nothing is happening, but deep down you know it's very important. Everything was going as I wanted for nearly 99% of the match, but it was in those key moments where I froze, before the third set. Luckily, I probably won the most important match of my life."

- About what it's like to play a Grand Slam final against a great friend like Muchova, who is already 29 years old and may not have many more opportunities

"For me, it's never easy to play against a friend. I have made some friends on the circuit, and when we face each other, it’s never easy. This time I wanted to keep some distance, we just greeted each other, and that was the only thing that happened before the match. I think that helped me a lot throughout the game. I know Karolina's tennis. She is a very tough player to face on any surface, so I had to stay completely focused. I still think we are friends, I hope so (smiling); I don't think that has affected us at any point."

- Is it part of the mental preparation before the match to anticipate a scenario like today's, to recover from a moment of being very close to victory?

"This moment or situation, having four or five match points and seeing how you have to start from scratch shortly after, is not a scenario we talked about. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for something like that. It was just me and myself on the court. I was telling myself: 'If you lose this, you lose it. If you win, you win it'. I focused on many things on those match points. I thought they had already come, so I could just put the ball in play and everything would go well. Karolina is a great competitor, you know that with her, you can never take anything for granted. My coach helped me, not only yesterday with our talk but over the last six or seven years we've been together. I've always felt the support of my team, and it's one of the things that come together to help me win this title."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Noskova desvela la clave por la que ganó Wimbledon: "Vi los trofeos y me dije que iba a llevarme el grande"

Linda Noskova