"I'd much rather lose to Angelique Kerber than Serena Williams": Karolina Muchova's loss to Linda Noskova put into perspective by Andrea Petkovic

Sunday, 12 July 2026 at 07:00

Karolina Muchova lost out in the final of Wimbledon in three sets to as she jokingly referred to her as 'ex-friend' Linda Noskova. Someone that of course being from the same nation, Muchova knows well.

For Muchova it was yet more Grand Slam heartbreak, but another constant reminder of why on her day, she is one of the most dangerous forces in women's tennis. But speaking afterwards, Andrea Petkovic lauded Linda Noskova saying that she was a deserved champion who showed real grit to get back the way she did after losing the second set.

It looked for all the will in the world like Muchova might find a way back into the tie, but she didn't and Noskova roared to the finish. Petkovic lauded her true warrior spirit and not giving up.

"A thoroughly deserving champion who battled her way back from a position that couldn't have been much worse," said Petkovic on Prime Video.

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"The first two games of the third set were actually my favourite moments from Linda Noskova. She still wasn't feeling completely comfortable, her footwork wasn't quite there yet, but she chased down every single ball and gave absolutely everything she had. Through that fighting spirit she found her rhythm again."

She also touched upon her more generally and said that she has always been a player capable of this, but needed to get through bad spells. "We all knew what she was capable of. The problem was that whenever she went through a bad spell, she completely disappeared from matches.

"The fact that she discovered this level of resilience in a Wimbledon final is extraordinary. And now she has to make small talk with the Princess of Wales! My knees would immediately go weak."

Remarkable Linda Noskova wins Wimbledon.

Disappointment for Muchova

While for Muchova, she put it into true perspective that in theory it is easier for her to lose to Noskova then perhaps even the likes of Anisimova losing to Swiatek last year or as she used Serena Williams vs Angelique Kerber.

"You could see just how disappointed Karolina Muchova was. But personally, I'd much rather lose to Angelique Kerber than to Serena Williams."

Expert Michael Stich, after the match also touched upon it and lauded Noskova in particular for coming back after looking like an unstoppable force for so long. "Until it was 6-2, 5-2, it looked just like last year. You had one player who seemed almost unstoppable because of her power, strength and technique.

"Then you saw once again that nerves are a huge part of this sport and that sometimes you simply can't control them.

"Muchova handled that phase brilliantly. At 5-5 in the second set she had five break points, and Noskova saved four of them with aces. You first have to stay mentally in the match when something like that happens.

"Both players showed incredible fighting spirit. Linda Noskova looked so calm when she came back onto the court for the third set. I imagine she went into the locker room, shook herself twice, gave herself a couple of metaphorical slaps around the face and said, 'You can do this.'

"She handled it brilliantly. Congratulations to her—she thoroughly deserved the title."

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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