BBC presenter Clare Balding expressed skepticism over Linda Noskova's morning superstition but was quickly told to 'accept it' by fellow pundit Eugenie Bouchard after the Czech star secured her place in the Wimbledon final. Noskova, 21, revealed she starts each day with an oat matcha drink, a ritual that Balding admitted she is not a fan of. However, Bouchard, a former Wimbledon finalist herself, pushed back, insisting the routine must be respected given the results it has produced.
Noskova's Superstitions and Road to the Final
Noskova defeated Marta Kostyuk in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) in one hour and 19 minutes to book her second match on Centre Court. She will face fellow Czech Karolina Muchova in an all-Czech final, the first since 2009 when Serena Williams beat her sister Venus. Following her win, Noskova admitted she has numerous superstitions, saying: 'I have so many superstitions, I can't even start to name them. It's like 20-30 things a day - I feel like it is an illness at this point! I'm using all same routines in the morning, pretty much same lunch, using same bathroom, same sink, so I'm not going to change anything.'
Balding's Reaction and Bouchard's Response
During the broadcast, Balding remarked: 'Noskova was saying she's going to stick to her routine, which she revealed the other day that she starts every day with an oat matcha. I'm not sure, but it works for her.' Bouchard countered: 'Hey, look, she's in the final of Wimbledon.' Balding replied, 'I know!' before Bouchard insisted: 'We're going to accept whatever her routine is.' Balding had the final say: 'Oat matcha sales are going to go through the roof, but I've tried matcha, and I'm not a fan, I've got to be honest, I'm not a fan.'
Insights from Annabel Croft
Former tennis star Annabel Croft, now a commentator, offered insight into the psychology of superstitions during the mixed doubles final. She said: 'You get obsessed and you have to watch the same outfit and keep wearing the same outfit. And actually the worst one is trying to get on the court to the change of ends chair, to the one that you want first. You want to beat your opponent to the chair. Motoring to get there first.'
Noskova's Focus on the Final
Looking ahead to the final, Noskova praised her opponent: 'Karolina is such a great fighter, such an incredible player, but mainly she is such a great person. I'm glad I can play my first final against her.' She added: 'For me, (the plan) is always just to focus on myself and to focus on my game. When I play my best, I know that I can play with the best players in the world and have a great result, which is a final at a Grand Slam, I guess.'
