​As Linda Nosková pondered what would mark the greatest collapse in Wimbledon final history, she could draw on experiences far beyond the boundaries of a tennis court. The 21-year-old Czech overcame surrendering a 5-2 lead and five match points in the second set against her friend and fellow countrywoman Karolína Muchová to win 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 and capture her first Grand Slam title. Holding the Venus Rosewater Dish, Nosková let emotion spill as she paid tribute to her late mother Ivana, who died of cancer on the eve of Wimbledon two years earlier, blowing a kiss toward the heavens. “I think she always wanted me to be here, always wanted to see me lift such a trophy,” Nosková told a small group of reporters late on Saturday, her pasta bowl in hand as she spoke in a hurry. “It’s still a dream for her. I’m glad I could dedicate this win to her.”
Remarkably, Nosková had already played at Wimbledon in 2024, and lifting the title marks another stride in a career that has been climbing steadily since she claimed the girls’ singles trophy at the French Open five years ago. In 2022 she was the youngest player in the top 100, the following year the youngest in the top 50, and last month she cracked the top 10 for the first time after winning her first grass-court title in Berlin. She credited her seasoned coach Tomas Krupa for guiding her through the early stages of her professional journey, but her steady, even-keeled outlook also springs from within.
Nosková is far from your typical young tennis prodigy. A childhood devotee of wrestling, she is deeply passionate about environmental issues and even skipped a beach holiday at the end of last season to volunteer at a school in Zanzibar. The forward-thinking Czech, who admitted her team wasn’t thrilled with her plan, slept in a dormitory and kept her profession under wraps. “I feel like these things I care deeply about give me a different perspective on the privileges I have, on the lifestyle I lead,” she explained. “I always try to come back with my mind to remember all the kids who aren’t as fortunate as I am. If I’m having a bad time, I always think it could be worse.”
Nosková is already eyeing another volunteering stint to help the natural world, and she has pledged to continue supporting the Zanzibar school where she taught. She has not yet decided how she will spend her £3.6 million ($4.8 million) prize money, adding, “I did not think about prize money at all, but I’m not a big spender. I never like to put my money into a dress or a bag, so it’s not going to go into materialistic things.”
The world rankings released on Monday will place Nosková at seventh, and her next aim is to avoid becoming one of the many young players whose first Grand Slam title becomes more of a burden than a breakthrough. “These two weeks have been so emotional,” she reflected, underscoring that the journey is far from over and that she intends to use this triumph as a stepping stone toward continued growth and service, both on and off the court.