"Age not on her side the way it is Linda’s": Karolina Muchova will win a Grand Slam title says Rennae Stubbs albeit with age caveat

Friday, 24 July 2026 at 07:30

Karolina Muchova came up short in her bid to win a Grand Slam final for the second time in her career when she lost the Wimbledon showpiece against Linda Noskova, but former World No.1 Rennae Stubbs believes it is the only a matter of time before she wins a title.

Three years after she came close to winning the French Open nearly defeating Iga Swiatek before losing in three sets at Roland Garros, she reached her second Grand Slam final as she took on fellow Czech Noskova. But she made a poor start as Noskova dominated, but she turned the match on its head in the second set as she saved five match points.

She secured the trophy with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory. She spoke afterwards about how young Noskova was albeit Stubbs admitted the only thing that isn't on her side perhaps is her age. She has since had to withdraw from events due to injury.

“I’ll start with Linda, my ex-friend," said Muchova. "You’re so young. This was your first final of a [Grand] Slam,” she continued. “The way you handled it and how you played was really unbelievable. Beyond this, you’re especially a very kind person and human being. Congratulations to you and your team. You deserve it.”

Stubbs feels it is only a matter of time

Stubbs who has won four women's doubles Grand Slam titles and two mixed doubles majors in her career and currently coaches Serena Williams. She struggled with several serious injuries since she made her breakthrough on the WTA Tour and Stubbs feels it is only a matter of time before she gets her hands on a Grand Slam trophy.

“I really like Karolina as a person, and I admire her tennis so much — I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I would have loved to see her hold that trophy at the end of the day, especially with age not on her side the way it is Linda’s,” she wrote on rennaestubbs.substack.com.

“But it wasn’t meant to be. Unlike Linda, Karolina was definitely not her usual relaxed self beforehand. That doesn’t always predict how someone will play, but watching players before they go out, you do get a sense of who might handle it better.”

karolina Muchova with her arms in the air

Karolina Muchova had a great Wimbledon.

She added: “The way Karolina Muchova handled the loss — with the class she’s always carries, on and off the court — a speech that was funny, poignant, and heartbreaking all at once, the kind that only wins her more fans, for her tennis and her personality. (I mean, who else hits a legitimate tweener on Centre Court in a Wimbledon final?)

“Karolina will win one of these majors one day. I truly believe that. And she’ll be a very popular champion when she does.”

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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