Karolina Muchova admitted she was 'shaking' after defeating Coco Gauff to reach her first Wimbledon final, but quickly dismissed any concerns about a potential injury. The Czech 10th seed won 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 on Centre Court, converting her second match point in a tense 10-point tiebreak.
Muchova battles through rib scare
During the third set, Muchova appeared to be struggling with a rib problem, prompting speculation about her fitness. However, in her on-court interview immediately after the match, she assured fans she was fine. 'Yeah I'm OK, I'm OK. Was just trying to catch a breath. I'm good, I'm good. Yeah, I'm good,' she said.
Emotional reaction to historic win
The 29-year-old described the match as a 'rollercoaster' and said she was still processing the victory. 'Thank you first of all. It sounds really nice to be in the final. Honestly it was such a big fight, a rollercoaster as you said, up and down. In 10 seconds you have match point then you are match point down,' she said. 'There's no time to think. It was very nervewracking. I don't know, I don't even know what I'm saying. I'm really kind of shaking and trying to sink it in. The atmosphere was indescribable, thank you everyone who came and supported us.'
First Centre Court appearance
Remarkably, this was Muchova's first ever match on Centre Court, despite it being her seventh appearance in the Wimbledon main draw. She had previously reached the quarter-finals on her first two trips to SW19. 'There is so many of us tennis players and I don't think many of us get to play on this court. It's such a history of our sport, it's incredible. It's a very special moment,' she said.
Practice with potential final opponent
Muchova revealed she had even practised on Centre Court with her potential opponent in Saturday's final, compatriot Linda Noskova, in recent days. 'We came here to warm up with Linda actually before the semis. I took a photo. It's a nice moment to experience all of this. This court is beautiful,' she added.
