Mertens désigne Noskova comme prétendante au titre à Wimbledon : "Elle peut gagner le tournoi"

Elise Mertens put an end this Wednesday to her adventure in Wimbledon 2026 after falling in the quarterfinals against Linda Noskova. The Belgian, who once again found herself among the tournament's top eight in London, acknowledged in a press conference the high level displayed by her opponent and stated that the small details ended up determining a very evenly matched game. Despite the defeat, Belgium's number one was satisfied with her journey at the All England Club and preferred to focus on the positive feelings from a tournament where she competed at the highest level.

Mertens explained that the only two breaks of the match ended up being decisive and highlighted Noskova's ability to elevate her game in critical moments. "She only broke me twice throughout the whole match, but they were in very important points. She served very well when she needed it the most, and in the end, she took a step forward, especially in the last game. I tried to stay in the match, keep believing, and make it challenging for her, but today she played really well."

Mertens places Noskova as a clear title contender

The Belgian also revealed that she experienced some physical discomfort at the beginning of the match, though she assured that it did not affect the outcome. "Initially, I was feeling fine, but I landed poorly and felt something behind the knee, towards the calf. We called the physiotherapist to apply some pressure in that area, and afterwards, I felt better." Beyond that incident, she acknowledged that Noskova was superior in critical moments. "I tried absolutely everything, ran for every ball, looked for my chances, but she served superbly and consistently found the lines. It was very difficult to take the initiative; I gave it my all, and she played a great match."

Asked about the young Czech's chances of winning the title, Mertens didn't hesitate to place her among the top favorites to lift the trophy. "She's only two matches away from the title. She's hitting the ball with a lot of confidence, and under pressure, she keeps playing very well. She demonstrated it even serving to reach the semifinals. I believe she is one of the title contenders." Despite the elimination, the Belgian chose to focus on the positive side of her performance: "I reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals, so I can't be too sad; I'll try to take all the good things from this tournament," she concluded.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mertens señala a Noskova como aspirante al título en Wimbledon: "Puede ganar el torneo"