Preview and Schedule WTA Prague Open: Linda Noskova leads home hopes in final European tune-up

The WTA 250 Prague Open 2025 will take place from July 21 to 26. This tournament, held in the Czech Republic's capital on outdoor hardcourts, will feature young local star Linda Noskova as the primary home hope for the title.

This week will mark the end of the European tournaments, signaling the beginning of the North American hardcourt swing, with an eye on the upcoming US Open. The tournament will boast several local stars, including the experienced Marie Bouzkova and young talents Tereza Valentova (18 years old) and Sára Bejlek (19 years old).

World No. 23 Linda Noskova will be the tournament's main star, as the only top-25 player in the draw. Noskova has achieved great results in the last year and is currently at her career-high ranking. At just 20 years old, she has made a name for herself among the best, and only one player her age or younger is ranked higher than her in the WTA rankings: Russia's Mirra Andreeva, currently World No. 5.

This year, Noskova lifted the Monterrey Open title, her first WTA 500 trophy, and has two semifinal appearances at WTA 500 tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Bad Homburg. She faces an important points defense, considering she reached the semifinals of Prague last year, so she will be looking to make another strong home performance.

Marie Bouzkova is another Czech player who will be present in the draw. At 26 years old, she is ranked World No. 46 and is the 4th seed in the draw.

Slovakia's Rebecca Šrámková will be another name to watch, as she will be the second seed after a year in which she has made a name for herself among the best. In late 2024, she drew attention with her first WTA 250 title and then led her country to an unprecedented Billie Jean King Cup final, securing several top-10 victories along the way.

Other players to consider will be China's Xinyu Wang (No. 49), Armenia's Elina Avanesyan (No. 54), and the talented Alycia Parks (No. 58). Without overwhelmingly strong candidates for the title, it will be a very open draw that could provide a ranking boost for those who achieve a deep run, an opportunity in a draw that features only three players within the top 40.

Czech tennis is undergoing a generational shift, especially considering the fall in the rankings of some of its main names like Barbora Krejčíková and Markéta Vondroušová, in addition to the absence of other stellar names like Karolína Muchová, or two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitová, who is set to retire in the coming weeks.

Wildcards were given to names expected to dominate the Tour in the coming years and who are already making waves at a young age. These are Tereza Valentová (18 years old, No. 114), Sára Bejlek (19 years old, No. 120), Barbora Palicova (21 years old, No. 179), and Laura Samson (17 years old, No. 248). At a young age, they are already making a name for themselves among the best, and it will be a good opportunity to earn points. Especially Valentová and Bejlek seem increasingly close to reaching the top 100, and with the opportunity to play a WTA 250 main draw by invitation, they will have the chance to follow in young star Nosková's footsteps and secure a place among the best.