“Linda is unflappable,” Ivana once explained. “She has this temperament from my husband. I think this trait is a big part of her success. She just doesn’t care. Whether it’s break point or match point, she’s always calm. It’s not that it doesn’t matter to her, but she can detach herself from it.”

On Saturday at the All England Club, the 21-year-old Czech demonstrated the truth of those words. 

Facing her compatriot Karolina Muchova in the Wimbledon final, Noskova stormed into an apparently unassailable lead only to suffer a catastrophic second-set collapse as Muchova, belatedly rousing herself, survived five championship points to force a deciding set. 

It was a devastating blow for Noskova, one that inevitably recalled the Centre Court implosion against Steffi Graf that left Jana Novtona weeping on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent in 1993. But she would not allow her title challenge to be defined by it. Instead, remarkably, Noskova calmly regrouped to crown an afternoon of high drama and high emotion with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory that earned her a first grand slam title. 

The one sadness was that her mother, who died from cancer two summers ago, was not there to witness it. Afterwards, as Noskova thanked her watching father, Drahoš Nosek, together with the rest of her family and team, Noskova ensured she was not forgotten.

“There is also one more person I would like to thank, which is my mum,” said the Czech, her voice trembling. “I definitely would not be standing here without her, so thank you.”

‘Sad years, happy years, sweat’: what shaped Linda Noskova’s Wimbledon win

After blowing a kiss skywards, Noskova briefly reflected on “all the sad years, all the happy years, all the sweat and blood put into this”. It was a nod not only to her own dedication, but also to the sacrifices made by her parents as they strove to foster her talent on limited resources. To the years when the family was split asunder as Noskova’s ambitions took her from the bucolic village of Bystřička, where she grew up, to the city of Prerov, an hour’s drive away, where her mother cleaned offices to make ends meet while Drahoš remained at home, where he worked for a railway firm. 

“It was all worth it,” reflected Noskova.

That much is undeniable. Noskova becomes the third Czech champion in four seasons, following the victories of Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova a year later. She is also the youngest winner since 2011, when Petra Kvitova defeated Maria Sharapova. Both were on hand to witness the occasion from the Royal Box, where nine-time champion Martina Navratilova was also among the usual glittering array of luminaries. 

The scrutiny could not have been more intense and, for the first half of what would be, at two hours and 28 minutes, the third longest women’s final in history, Noskova met the challenge head on. Her serve, the destructive fulcrum of her run to the final, was once again near-flawless. Noskova navigated the opening set without facing a break point, dropping just a single point behind her first delivery, while her smooth power and impressive movement allowed her to dictate the baseline exchanges. In the rare moments she wasn’t exceptional, Noskova was rock solid.

How Karolina Muchova struggled in her second major final

The same could not be said for Muchova. It is widely acknowledged that, on her day, the 29-year-old has the tools to defeat any player in the world. Here, however, she struggled to find her range in the face of Noskova’s excellence. By the time she did, the cause was all but lost. In that sense, Muchova’s second grand slam final mirrored her first, at the 2023 French Open, where she fell behind by a set and a break against Iga Swiatek only to force a decider after her game belatedly clicked into gear.

You would have got long odds on history repeating itself with Noskova leading 6-2, 5-2. Muchova had struggled throughout to summon the free-swinging power on her forehand that got her over the line from match point down against Coco Gauff in the semi-finals (a feat of escapism she also performed against Aryna Sabalenka at the same stage of her final run at Roland Garros, curiously) and as she served to stay in the contest, that wing once again faltered. 

Muchova twice survived after netting forehands to present Noskova with championship point; by the time she saved a third with a beautifully executed drop shot, the mental and emotional shackles were visibly starting to loosen. Her serve was gathering force. She was moving with newfound freedom. The variety and creativity that make her so dangerous were finally starting to flow. At the other end of the court, the opposite was happening. 

“It was very tough for me,” Noskova later reflected. “My hand kind of froze at certain moments. My feet were not as quick as they had been before.”

‘That’s insane’: Linda Noskova’s battle to remain in the second set

Up to then, moments of peril had been rare for Noskova – and when they came, she had been ready. Facing her first break points of the afternoon early in the second set, she snuffed out the danger with bold, decisive serving. As Muchova threatened to prolong the contest, she did so again. Noskova had already fended off two break points by the time Muchova nailed a glorious backhand winner to bring up a third. The younger woman responded with a thumping 112mph ace; then, when an error gifted Muchova a fourth opportunity, she produced another. 

“That’s insane,” mouthed the watching Navratilova.

Not so insane that Noskova couldn’t do it again, sending down an untouchable 114mph delivery to complete a stunning triptych of aces. Indeed, it was not until Muchova’s seventh break point that Noskova finally yielded, sending a forehand wide. By then, a double fault had cost her a fourth championship point, and a fifth would go begging in the next game. It was a torrid sequence for Noskova, one that would culminate with the loss of five straight games. Coming from a woman who normally wears the mask of impassivity so lightly, the anguished cry she emitted as the set slipped away spoke volumes.

So too did the manner in which she put her fingers over her ears as Centre Court rose to acclaim Muchova’s fightback. Yet, if Noskova’s impulse was to block out the reality of the moment, moments later she would be confronted by it in the most palpable form. As she retreated for a bathroom break, the Czech was greeted by the sight of the Venus Rosewater dish, the trophy awarded to the champion. Beside it sat the more modest silver plate awarded to the beaten finalist. Noskova’s resolve hardened.

Linda Noskova: ‘I’m going to leave my soul on court’

“The first step I took off court, the trophies were there,” said Noskova. “I was ​looking at the big one. I was like, ‘I’m taking this one, no matter what. I’m going to leave my soul on court.’”

If Noskova was replenished, Muchova was depleted. It had taken a monumental effort to restore parity. The momentum was hers but, after an exacting semi-final win over Gauff, did she have the physical and emotional reserves to capitalise?

“I think I started really slow,” Muchova reflected. “On the other hand, Linda started really strong, really good serving games. She played really fast. I was kind of looking for myself. It took a lot of power and strength out of me, I would say, to get back in that second set. I gave it my all. 

“The people were cheering on me; I felt it, I felt the support. I felt the momentum in the second set. It was definitely nice that it happened. It took, as I said, some strength out of me.”

As is so often the case in tennis, the opening game of the set was pivotal. Noskova had to stem the tide of games against her. Three break points for Muchova instead threatened to continue the surge. But Noskova held firm and, in the next game, some solid defending earned her a break. The tone was set; she would not be caught.

Noskova: ‘I think she would be proud’

Two years after her mother died on the eve of Wimbledon, Noskova’s victory was punctuated by a palpable sense of catharsis. No two people experience the anniversary of a parent’s death in the same way, but for most it is a time freighted with deep personal significance. So it appears to have been for the Czech, who revealed afterwards that her mother had been on her mind on the eve of the final. As a final service winner confirmed her triumph and she fell to the grass, her body heaving with emotion, those thoughts surfaced anew. 

“I had a moment yesterday night when I was thinking about her,” said Noskova. “Sadly, she passed away two years ago, at the beginning of the tournament. So just to be sitting here and looking at the title two years later, it was a big moment for me. But I think she would be proud. I think I made her happy today.”

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That is nonetheless the price the British governing body must pay for its stand, after the ATP fined the organisation $1m (£820,000) and warned it faced possible expulsion should similar restrictions be imposed next summer.

Wimbledon’s decision to decline entries from the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka was prompted by the Putin regime’s invasion of Ukraine, which is supported by Belarus. 

The All England Club’s stance was met with a show of unity from the LTA, who said the participation of Russian and Belarusian nationals risked “providing a boost to these regimes when there is an unprecedented international effort to isolate them and sanction their actions”. It meant that players from the affected countries were unable to compete in tournaments at Queen’s Club, Eastbourne, Surbiton, Nottingham and Ilkley.

Both Wimbledon and the LTA have since been fined six-figure sums by the WTA, whose players were denied entry to tournaments in Nottingham, Birmingham and Eastbourne. Legal appeals have been mounted against both fines.

In a robust statement, the LTA accused the ATP of a lack of empathy with Ukraine and said it was considering its legal position.

“The LTA is deeply disappointed with this outcome,” said an LTA statement. “The ATP, in its finding, has shown no recognition of the exceptional circumstances created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or the international sporting community and UK Government’s response to that invasion.  

“The ATP appear to regard this matter as a straightforward breach of their rules – with a surprising lack of empathy shown for the situation in Ukraine, and a clear lack of understanding of the unique circumstances the LTA faced.”

The governing body warned that the financial punishments imposed by the ATP and WTA would necessitate a rethink on the staging of events scheduled for next year.  

“The financial impact of both this fine and the WTA’s fine will have a material impact on the LTA’s ability to develop and host tennis in this country,” the statement continued.  

“For example, we had intended to host a number of ATP Challenger level events to give more opportunities to lower ranked players in the first quarter of 2023 and will now not be able to do this, particularly given the possibility of further fines.  

“We will carefully consider our response and we await the outcome of our appeal against the WTA’s decision and sanction.” 

Both the ATP and the WTA stripped Wimbledon of ranking points in response to the ban, a decision that had significant repercussions for players from both organisations. Novak Djokovic, the men’s champion, would have finished the year level with Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the world rankings had he received the 2,000 points ordinarily awarded to the champion. Elena Rybakina, meanwhile, currently ranked 22nd, would have finished the year inside the top 10 and qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals.

Given that she represents Kazakhstan but was born in Moscow, Rybakina’s victory made a mockery of the All England Club’s desire to avoid a propaganda victory for the Kremlin. In the club’s defence, however, the ban was imposed under heavy pressure from the British government, whose stance was reiterated by the culture secretary, Michelle Donelan.

“Over the past year, the vast majority of the international sporting community have stood shoulder to shoulder in condemning Putin’s unprovoked and barbaric actions in Ukraine,” said Donelan in a statement.  

“The UK has taken a world-leading role to build this international response. We are clear that sport cannot be used to legitimise this deadly invasion, and that athletes representing the Russian or Belarusian states should be banned from competing in other countries.  

“Despite widespread condemnation, the international tennis tours are determined to be outcasts in this, with investment in the growth of our domestic game hampered as a result. This is the wrong move by the ATP and WTA. I urge them to think carefully about the message this sends, and to reconsider.” 

Britain remains the only country to have ostracised Russian and Belarusian players, who have been able to compete under a neutral flag elsewhere. The ban was branded discriminatory by both the ATP and the WTA when it was announced.

“We believe that [the] unilateral decision by Wimbledon and the LTA to exclude players from Russia and Belarus from this year’s British grass-court swing is unfair and has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game,” an ATP statement said in April.That decision is now set to exact a significant financial toll as well.

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Twelve days after revealing that he needed multiple anaesthetic injections to get through the French Open, where he won his 22nd major earlier this month, Nadal has confirmed his intention to play at Wimbledon after undergoing treatment to deaden nerve tissue in his troublesome left foot.

The Spaniard, who overcame the same chronic injury to win the Australian Open in January, said he would travel to London next week following an encouraging week’s practice on the grass courts of the Mallorca Country Club.

“My intention is to play at Wimbledon,” said Nadal.  “The treatment and the week of training gives me hope, and I wouldn’t go if I didn’t intend to play. 

“I haven’t played at Wimbledon for three years and I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know what can happen in five days. I’m cautious, but what has happened so far gives me hope that I can be present.”

Nadal had previously expressed uncertainty about his prospects of competing at Wimbledon, indicating in the aftermath of his victory at Roland Garros that he would not risk playing on grass with his foot numbed. The 36-year-old has suffered from Mueller Weiss syndrome, a rare degenerative disease that causes pain in the navicular bone, since he was a teenager. 

However, after travelling to Barcelona last week for radiofrequency ablation treatment, which uses heat to reduce nerve pain, he is hoping to play in the pre-Wimbledon exhibition event at the Hurlingham Club next week.    

“With the treatment in the nerves, strange things happen in your foot,” said Nadal. “You feel numb in some areas and not in others.

“What was done in Barcelona, where I was twice, is not a 100% immediate fix but changes are noticeable. I still have strange sensations, if I’m honest, but the joint pain that did not allow me to support myself has decreased.

“The week that I have been practising here after my treatment has been positive. I experienced some improvements. Different feelings on my foot, honestly, but I take that like a positive thing.”

Nadal, champion at the All England Club in 2008 and 2010, has never previously arrived in SW19 with the grand slam in play, largely due to the perennial dominance of Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. He has not reached the final since 2011, when he was beaten by Djokovic in his fifth final. Nadal pulled out of Wimbledon last year after his foot injury forced him to miss virtually the entire second half of the season, but reached the semi-finals in his two most recent appearances, in 2018 and 2019.

“I hope to be competitive,” said Nadal. “Grass is a very difficult surface and, when you haven’t played for years, as is my case, any round is difficult. The start of the tournament is going to be vital for me.”

The pursuit of the third leg of a calendar-year slam will not be the only difference this time around for Nadal, who also confirmed that he and his wife Maria Francisca Perello are expecting their first child. Nadal said he did not anticipate that his immediate schedule would change in light of the news. 

“If everything goes well, I’m going to be a father,” he said. “I’m not used to talking about my private life. We live more peacefully with a lower profile. I don’t expect that my life will change much with it.

“At the moment, all has worked well for me, and I am not a friend of changing what works well. My intention is to play Wimbledon, rest, then Canada and then be ready for the US Open.”

Meanwhile, defending champion Matteo Berrettini is through to the last four at Queen’s Club following a 6-4, 6-2 win over Tommy Paul of the US. The second-seeded Italian, the champion in Stuttgart last week, will face Botic van de Zandschulp after the Dutchman saw off Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, 6-2, 6-4.

In the top half, former champion Marin Cilic, the seventh seed, continued his renascent form with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory over Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori.

“I am taking it step by step. I am trying to keep my form up and my level,” said Cilic, who also reached the last four at Roland Garros. “Every match is a challenge. I am focusing and taking it step by step. 

Cilic will play Filip Krajinovic after the 48th-ranked Serbian ended the fairytale run of Ryan Peniston, the British wildcard who made light of his world ranking of 180 with a straight sets win over top seed Casper Ruud earlier in the week. Krajinovic reached his second semi-final of the season with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win.

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The ban was imposed by the All England Club last month in response to the Putin regime’s invasion of Ukraine. It was immediately branded “discriminatory” and “unfair” by the WTA and ATP, whose shared disappointment has now culminated in a retaliatory move that will effectively reduce Wimbledon to an exhibition event.

“The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our tour,” said the ATP in a statement. 

“The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP ranking system. It is also inconsistent with our rankings agreement. Absent a change in circumstances, it is with great regret and reluctance that we see no option but to remove ATP ranking points from Wimbledon for 2022.”

The WTA likewise took aim at the All England Club for abandoning the principle of accepting entries based on ranking, arguing that the decision ran counter to the organisation’s founding principle of equal opportunity.  

“As a result of the AELTC’s position that it will not honour its obligation to use the WTA rankings for entry into Wimbledon and proceed with a partial field not based on merit, the WTA has made the difficult decision to not award WTA ranking points for this year’s Wimbledon championships,” said Steve Simon, the WTA Chairman.  

“The stance we are taking is about protecting the equal opportunities that WTA players should have to compete as individuals.  

“If we do not take this stance, then we abandon our fundamental principle and allow the WTA to become an example to support discrimination based on nationality at other events and in other regions around the world. The WTA will continue to apply its rules to reject such discrimination.”

The tours have been backed by the ITF, which will withhold points for Wimbledon’s junior and wheelchair events.

The All England Club expressed “deep disappointment” over the measures, which they described as “disproportionate” given that the decision to impose a ban was influenced by British government guidelines. 

“Given the position taken by the UK Government to limit Russia’s global influence, which removed automatic entry by ranking, and the widespread response of Government, industry, sport and creative institutions, we remain of the view that we have made the only viable decision for Wimbledon as a globally renowned sporting event and British institution, and we stand by the decision we have made,” said the All England Club.

“As we have previously stated, after careful consideration against a variety of factors, and bound to act in accordance with the directive guidance from the UK Government, we came to two firm conclusions that formed the basis for this decision.  

“We were not prepared to take any actions which could risk the personal safety of players, or their families. We believe that requiring written declarations from individual players – and that would apply to all relevant players – as a condition of entry in the high-profile circumstances of Wimbledon would carry significant scrutiny and risk.  

“In addition, we remain unwilling to accept success or participation at Wimbledon being used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime, which, through its closely controlled state media, has an acknowledged history of using sporting success to support a triumphant narrative to the Russian people.  

“We therefore wish to state our deep disappointment at the decisions taken by the ATP, WTA and ITF in removing ranking points for the Championships. We believe these decisions to be disproportionate in the context of the exceptional and extreme circumstances of this situation and the position we found ourselves in, and damaging to all players who compete on tour.”

The ATP accepted that Wimbledon had faced “difficult decisions” in light of the British government’s stance, but took issue with the suggestion that the club’s hands were tied by political considerations. 

“We note that this was informal guidance, not a mandate, which offered an alternative option that would have left the decision in the hands of individual players competing as neutral athletes through a signed declaration,” said the ATP statement.

The All England Club has consistently stated its opposition to written declarations that might jeopardise the safety of players and their families. 

With players who reached the latter stages of last year’s tournament last year unable to defend their points, the tours’ response to Wimbledon’s ban on Russians and Belarusians will have significant repercussions for the world rankings. 

Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, is likely to lose his position as world No 1 when the 2,000 points he earned in 2021 drop off, while Matteo Berrettini and Karolina Pliskova, the men’s and women’s runners-up, will both drop out of the top 10.

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