By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - Karolina Muchova ended Coco Gauff's incredible run of living dangerously at this year's Wimbledon as she saved a match point to topple the American in a 6-2 1-6 7-6 (12-10) thriller to keep alive hopes of setting up an all-Czech final at a Grand Slam for the first time.
With compatriot Linda Noskova taking on Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in Thursday's second-semi final, Muchova's passage to Saturday's final meant there could be a third Czech in four years holding
aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish following the triumphs of Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.
No one would have guessed that Muchova is allergic to grass, and requires "a lot of pills, sprays, eyedrops" just to step onto the most famous patch of turf in tennis.
While spectators struggled to stay cool in the furnace-like atmosphere on Centre Court, Muchova's pick-and-mix variety of grasscourt craft shone brightly as she broke Gauff in the third and fifth games, with the American surrendering her serve for the second time by wildly misfiring a forehand into the back hoardings.
A 111 mph ace sealed the set for Muchova.
However, no one can accuse Gauff of holding up the white flag when the going gets tough or even taking the easy route as she survived four successive three setters to reach the semis — and once again she was ready to go the distance.
After failing to convert any of her first eight break point opportunities, the American seventh seed finally got the breakthrough on her ninth to take a 3-1 lead.
Another break for 5-1 sent her mother into raptures in the player's box and one game later it was all level.
After two one-sided sets, both players displayed their incredible ball-striking ability, producing ferocious forehands and breathtaking backhands, as they went toe-to-toe in a captivating decider.
Gauff had two chances to break for a 5-4 lead but once 10th seed Muchova used her get-out-of-jail free card to wriggle out of that spot of bother, there was no stopping her.
She produced all the goods in a nerve-jangling match tiebreak, including an outrageous diving volley winner and also lobbed Gauff to earn her first match point.
While that one went begging, she made no mistake on the second and held her arms aloft in victory after watching the American dump a forehand into the net to end the 2 hour 35 minute thriller.
(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar; Editing by Alison Williams)
