Karolina Muchova defeats Coco Gauff after match point blunder, video

It is the killer error on match point that cooked Coco Gauff’s Wimbledon chances, one certain to keep her awake at night.

A thrilling semi-final against Karolina Muchova, who will play Linda Noskova in an all Czech Republic final on Saturday, was on her racquet with a short ball there to be punished on match point when the American star pulled the wrong rein.

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With her rival having done well just to get the dual-major winner’s serve back, Gauff had a multitude of choices. But she panicked and opted for a drop shot, a tactic that had brought her success, but this time it found the bottom of the net.

A couple of points later her hopes of reaching her first Wimbledon final were over, with that right instead going to the extremely talent Muchova, who overcome nerves, pain and inspired rival in the best women’s match played this tournament.

“I mean, I’m going to think about it tonight,” Gauff said.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever lost a match after having match point. If I did, I don’t remember the last time. I don’t know how long it will take me. I don’t think that long, honestly. Right after (there) was a lot of emotions right after the match. But now I’m just, like, one decision away and maybe I’m sitting in this press conference in a different mood.

“I look at Roger (Federer and he) lost match points here. Jannik (Sinner) obviously did at Roland Garros. Every great champion has this happen in their career. Maybe this is something I need to be on their level.”

Considered one of the best players without a slam, and too often cursed by injury, the Czech has the change to etch her name onto the honour board of the world’s most famous tournament after edging the American champion 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10).

A finalist at Roland Garros in 2023, the 29-year-old faces her talented compatriot Noskova, who has won more matches on grass than any other woman over the past two seasons. But her biggest challenge could be her fitness.

In the latter stages of a gripping semi-final, the No.10 seed reached repeatedly to the lower region of her right rib cage and was clearly in discomfort, though the issue did not prevent her from producing some remarkable tennis to post her biggest win.

She later dismissed suggestions the issue would be a problem, attributing her pain to a “stitch” that hindered her breathing.

On court, the magnitude of what she had achieved left her struggling to stay coherent amid a standing ovation for both players.

“First of all, it sounds really nice to be in the final. It was such a big fight. It was a rollercoaster,” Muchova said.

“You’re up and down. In ten seconds you have match point and (then) you’re match point down. (There is) no time to think. But (it was) very nerve wracking. I don’t even know what I’m saying. I’m really kind of shaking and trying to sink it in. The atmosphere is indescribable.”

The is a dramatic and delightful match with the variety on display enhancing its viewability, a saving grace for fans sitting in stifling conditions on Centre Court in a semi-final that lasted 2hr 35min on a day the temperature reached 34C.

Rather than solely swapping laser-beam groundstrokes barely skimming the net being walloped at 100 clicks an hour, the rivals exchanged dinks and chips, volleys and lobs. Guile and placement was as important as power in this thriller.

In the infancy of the match, Muchova managed this better and her ability to stretch Gauff around the court forced repeated errors from the younger player, with a couple of mistakes proving particularly costly for the American star.

But Gauff is resilient. Her willingness to hang tough won her the French Open just over a year ago.

She kept presenting against Muchova and started to turn the tide in the infancy of the second set, eventually seizing one of those chances when chasing down another acutely angled backhand from her rival and whipping it for a winner crosscourt.

The dual-grand slam champion is an outstanding athlete, with her defensive capabilities arguably the best in the world given her coverage, but she was able to change the momentum because of willingness to keep attacking the net.

Service breaks were a feature of the opening two sets but in the third, both women held with distinction as the battle for a spot in the final edged towards a thrilling conclusion.

The former US Open and Roland Garros champion was under pressure in her second service game of the third set, but again her hands at the net helped her out of a tricky spot and enabled her to level at 2-all.

A beauty of Gauff’s work at the net was her ability to guess correctly and cover the passing shots of her rival. She would drop a ball short and then cover the net like a gazelle, which her hands a feature as the semi-final progressed.

In an awkward spot in the ninth game, Muchova produced a classical serve-and-volley point, stretching wide to make a difficult forehand volley before angling a backhand volley away for a winner. This was tennis for the purists.

Gauff had an initial opportunity to seize a break in this game, but netted a backhand on a second serve. Another presented after a point that demonstrated every facet of her talent - power, touch and brilliant court coverage - but it also went begging.

Muchova was able to hold on and looked to the Heavens in relief after her rival’s backhand narrowly missed the line.

This continued in the super tiebreaker resplendent for initially for is remarkable shot-making and then for its nerves late in the piece when the reality of the stake at hand came sharpest into view.

Muchova’s superb hands won her the fourth point with a miraculous forehand volley. Gauff’s exceptional court coverage won her a point she scrambled madly for to stay within reach of her rival.

The Czech dived Boris Becker-style to make another forehand volley, drawing applause even from her rival for her effort. The American rolled a delightfully dipping forehand crosscourt pass in response.

An epic rally won by Gauff left Muchova keeled over. But a double-fault from Gauff - just her second for the match - gave her rival an 8-7 lead, only for her rival to overcook a short forehand.

At 8-all, Muchova was called for a time violation and she followed with one of her poorest backhands. Could the result turn on the intervention of the umpire?

But then came the Gauff forehand drop shot. In hindsight she would have chipped down the line, she said later. And she was similarly unsure when asked whether she would watch the final or retreat from social media over the next couple of days.

“That’s a good question. Sometimes I watch and sometimes I don’t watch. I don’t know. We’ll see. When I get home, if I’m up, I might have it on. I am one that, like, (if it) stings a little bit, especially so close, I don’t want to watch,” she said.

“Also, at the same time, I am a fan of tennis. The girls who are left, I think it’s going to be a great match. Obviously Karolina is great. Whoever she plays in the final is going to be great.

“Maybe I’ll watch; maybe I won’t. I’ll be online. (I’ve) probably already got some hate comments and stuff. It’s okay. Just makes you stronger. Betters who lose who are mad and stuff. It sucks, but it’s like, ‘Whatever’. I’ll come out on the winning end next time and I’ll be sure to tag ‘em.”

The Czech earned a match point with a beautiful forehand lob but then slipped when trying to lunge for a forehand volley. But after another extended rally that had both players scrambling wildly, ultimately Gauff found a ball she could not make.

Gauff departed the vanquished, but demonstrated she is more than capable of winning on grass. And Muchova was into the final, but with a question lingering over her fitness. Nonetheless, she had reason to celebrate her first Centre Court match.

“There are so many of us tennis players (and) I don’t think many of us get the chance to play on this court,” Muchova said.

“It’s such a history of our sport. It’s incredible. (It was a) very special moment. We came here to warm up with Linda (Noskova) before the semis. We took a photo. It’s a nice moment to experience all of this. This court is beautiful.”

There was less drama in the progression of Noskova, 21, a former Roland Garros junior champion now making big strides on the court.

Pitted against Marta Kostyuk, a Ukraine powerhouse who has now fallen in the semi-finals of the past two majors, she handled the bigger points better when progressing 6-4 6-4 to reach her first decider.

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