My U.S. Open top 10

US Open 2026: Elena Rybakina claims her third Grand Slam title in New York

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— Le Monde in English (@english.lemonde.fr) September 12, 2026 at 8:26 PM

Here are my top 10 U.S. Open occurrences, in ascending order:

10. The third time was the charm: Sun Xinran, the top seed in the junior draw, felt a kind of pressure that a lot of teens don't feel--this was her third major final of the year, and she had lost the first two, at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. Her Wimbledon opponent, Anna Pushkareva, was again across the net from her during the U.S. Open final, but this time, Sun prevailed, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. 

In doubles, Australian Open champions and USA team Annika Penickova and Kristina Penickova defeated Polina Berezina and Alisa Terentyeva 7-6 (11), 6-3 in the final. 

9. So close, yet so far: Two USA players, 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and Jessica Pegula, both veterans, undoubtedly had hopes about this U.S. Open, especially Pegula, who is number 3 in the world. Keys, however, said--after her third round loss to the resurgent Zheng Qinwen--that she just wasn't feeling it. “I felt like I couldn’t play tennis anymore...," she said. Keys is no stranger to inconsistency; however, her comments could explain the remarkable third set scoreline--Zheng was down 0-5, then won seven games in a row. 

As for Pegula, she made it all the way to the semifinals, defeating the likes of Leylah Fernandez, Sorana Cirstea and Emma Navarro on her way there. But she was stopped by a very in-form Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated her in straight sets.

8. USA takes title from France: The Australian crowd has shown disdain toward WTA players, the Wimbledon administration has a history of being downright offensive to WTA players, and the Roland-Garros crowd has a history of being rude, period. But--with behavior getting worse by the year--the U.S. Open crowd now wins the prize for rude behavior. This year, groups of influencers (oh, how I hate to type that word) disrupted play over and over, with their total lack of regard for the players and the sport. 

At one point, a group of Tik Tock people posed for photos in the middle of a match. And in Naomi Osaka's first round match, influencers using a ring light stopped play. The U.S. Open has always been loud--several players have complained about it over the years--but now it's out of control. Aryna Sabalenka complained to the umpire because the smell of marijuana wafted over the court while she was playing. As far as I'm concerned, after one warning, offenders should be escorted out of the stadium, but we know that that isn't going to happen.

7. A sweep and a comeback: Yui Kamiji won her fourth U.S. Open wheelchair singles title at this tournament, and she and partner Zhu Zhenzhen also won the doubles title. Kamiji's opponent in the singles final was her rival, Diede De Groot, who has won the event six times. This was the first time that Kamiji had ever beaten De Groot in New York. And--though she won only one major (Roland-Garros) this year--De Groot (known among fans as Diede the Great) is making a very nice comeback after hip surgery and rehab.

6. A bright-looking future: The third round match played between Iva Jovic and Alex Eala was a thing of beauty. The two young women, who are good friends, have every shot in the book, and their three-hour match couldn't have been more enjoyable. Jovic won, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, but both players made it clear that the WTA's future has some stars in the making.

5. She's.....back!: It wasn't that long ago that Zheng Qinwen was the Next Big Thing. In fact, she was already a pretty big thing, reaching the final at the 2024 Australian Open and winning an Olympic gold medal. But then she had elbow surgery, followed by post-surgical complications. Zheng has steadily worked her way back, and the result of all her hard work was on display at the U.S. Open. 

Zheng--who had to win three qualifying matches in order to enter the main draw--also provided some unusual thrills at the tournament, especially in the third round, when she was down 0-5 in the third set against Madison Keys. No problem. Zheng reeled off seven consecutive games and won the match. Then, in the next round against Iga Swaitek, she went down 0-5 in the first set; she won that set 7-5 and went on to defeat the 2022 champion.

4. A singular sensation: In the quarterfinals, 2nd seed Elena Rybakina ended Zheng Qinwen's great run, and in doing so, she became the number 1 player in the world, also ending Aryna Sabalenka's 99-week hold on that position. The drama would only increase as time went on.

3. Win everything: Top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend won the 2026 doubles title when they defeated wild cards Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery in the final. In doing so, they also achieved a Career Slam, having already won the 2025 Australian Open, 2026 Roland-Garros, and 2024 Wimbledon.

2. When you're hot, you're hot: When Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend achieved the Career Slam by winning the doubles title, that was impressive. What's even more impressive is that, for Siniakova, the result was the achievement of the very rare double Career Slam. The Czech star had already earned a Career Slam with former partner (it still makes me sad to type that) Barbora Krejcikova. They won the Australian Open three times, Roland-Garros twice, Wimbledon twice, and the U.S. Open once. (Siniakova also won Roland-Garros with Coco Gauff.) Siniakova is the first woman in the Open Era to achieve the double Career Slam.

1. You just became world number 1--how do you top that?: If you're Elena Rybakina, you play two more rounds and win the U.S. Open. After her quarterfinal defeat of Zheng Qinwen, the new number 1 went on to defeat 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Guaff. But she saved the best for last when she faced the woman whose number 1 spot she had just taken over--two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. To make the occasion even more dramatic, Rybakina and Sabalenka were the top two seeds in the tournament.

And there was even more drama to this story: Rybakina had been dealing with a foot injury and wasn't even sure that she could compete in Flushing Meadows. She and her doctor, who is in Australia, had talked on the phone every day so that Rybakina could make a determination about playing, and she missed the first week of practice. As it turned out, the new world number 1 played superbly and cleverly in the final, winning the title with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 defeat of Sabalenka, who was hoping to win three U.S. Open titles in a row.

On her way to winning the title, Rybakina defeated three former U.S. Open champions--Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and Sabalenka. The new world number 1, for all her reserve and "strictly business" attitude, nevertheless managed to pull off one of the flashiest major victories I've ever seen.

Why snatch one crown when you can snatch two? Elena Rybakina, new world number 1, is now the U.S. Open champion

Elena Rybakina came to the U.S. Open off of a bad foot injury, but it turned into one of the greatest Grand Slam title runs of all-time. She missed the entire first week of practice, but believed she could recover, focus, and play her way into this tournament… Think about how hard that is...

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 6:41 PM

When she won her quarterfinal match in Flushing Meadows, Elena Rybakina took over the number 1 spot that had been held by Aryna Sabalenka for 99 weeks. Then, for good measure, she beat two-time defending champion Sabalenka in today's final. This was, in my opinion, the cheekiest U.S. Open move since 2015, when Flavia Pennetta, about to retire from professional tennis, stopped by Flushing Meadows on her way out, and won the whole thing.

Rybakina's victory didn't surprise me at all, though I'm sure it surprised the panel at U.S. Open Radio, who--with the exception of Genie Bouchard--predicted that Sabalenka would win in three sets. Coming into the Open, Rybakina's only seriously doubtful factor was that she'd been dealing with a foot injury. Right up to the start of the tournament, in fact, she was constantly on the phone with her doctor in Australia, as she and her team assessed whether she'd be able to play in New York.

Sabalenka and Rybakina have a strong rivalry, and they were also the first and second seeds at the tournament, which added to the drama. The only thing that appeared "certain" (as far as tennis goes) is that the match would go to three sets. 

In the first set, Rybakina demonstrated an adaptability we hadn't seen from her before. The tall, quiet woman with the outstanding first serve had trouble, over and over, getting her first serve in. No problem--she began using her second serve as a weapon, and it worked. She won that set, 6-4. Rybakina's ability to get her first serve in improved in the second set, but so did Sabalenka's entire game. She cut down on the unforced errors and was able to use her own big hitting to make Rybakina less comfortable. The defending champion had to work hard, though, because--at 5-4--Rybakina served for the match. 

Not surprisingly, Sabalenka  put a stop to that, and eventually won the second set 7-5.  

Rybakina knew what to do: In the third set, she achieved a first serve win percentage of 100, and she hit fifteen winners, while making only six unforced errors, turning the set into the Rybakina Show. Serving at 2-4, Sabalenka was broken when Rybakina drove her to the far corner of the court, then delivered an expert volley. The new champion double-faulted on her first match point, but then hit an ace on her second one. 

Rybakina is now 8-10 against Sabalenka, but it's of interest that her last three victories against her have occurred in very big matches--the 2025 WTA Finals final, the 2026 Australian Open final, and today's final at the U.S. Open. 

The trophy ceremony delivered a nice touch when the champion received her trophy from Maria Sharapova, on the 20th anniversary of her U.S. Open victory.  Later, the commentators talked about the fact that the only major that Rybakina hasn't won is Roland-Garros, and that attaining that victory would be hard for her because she relies so much on big hitting. (I suppose that--now that they have a bond of sorts--Rybakina could consult with two-time Roland-Garros champion Sharapova about that.)

A well-known rivalry, and a not-so-well-known one

"Looking Toward the Avenue" by Jim Dines
photo by Diane Elayne Dees 

Every once in a while, there's a final that fans just know is going to be special, and a lot of people have that feeling about the upcoming match between two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka is a favorite, of sorts--she wants to get three in a row, and she wants to win a major this season. She's also playing extremely well. But so is Rybakina, though she's had some slow starts. For those who love big hitting (it's not my favorite, but I'll take it), this final represents hitting at about as big a level as it gets.

And though you won't hear about it from commentators, another significant final was played today: Yui Kamiji defeated long-time rival Diede De Groot 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to win the women's wheelchair title. This is the first time that Kamiji has ever beaten De Groot in New York. The third set became tense--De Groot went down 0-3, then 2-4, and then she got the set to 3-all.  In the end, though, Kamiji out-served her opponent and took home her fourth U.S. Open title (De Groot has won the event six times). 

The good news for De Groot is that she's very close to being back to her pre-hip surgery form.

Kamiji, with partner Zhu Zhenzhen, also won the doubles title.

And of course, yesterday top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend won the doubles championship when they defeated wild cards Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery in the final. Their victory gives the champions a Career Slam, and it gives Siniakova a double Career Slam. She had already achieved a Career Slam with partner Barbora Krejcikova. 

In juniors, top seed Sun Xinran defeated Anna Pushkareva 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 to win the title. In junior doubles, Annika Penickova and Kristina Penickova defeated Polina Berezina and Alisa Terentyeva to win the title.

One crown passed on, the other still up for grabs

Though it was statistically possible, there probably weren't a lot of us who were thinking, at the start of this U.S. Open, that the final would result in an outgoing world number 1 facing an incoming world number 1, but that's exactly what will happen tomorrow. When she won her quarterfinal match against Zheng Qinwen, Elena Rybakina became the number 1 player in the world, dethroning Aryna Sabalenka. Rybakina went on to win her semifinal match against Coco Gauff, while Sabalenka defeated Gauff's countrywoman, Jessica Pegula. The final will also, of course, feature the number 1 and number 2 seeds of the tournament.

The first set of the Sabalenka-Pegula semifinal match was quite competitive, the second--not so much. Pegula had only one break opportunity in the match, and she wasn't able to convert it. Sabalenka's 7-5, 6-2 victory gives her a chance to do something that only two other women have done--win the U.S. Open more than two consecutive times. Serena Williams won it three consecutive times, and Chris Evert won it four consecutive times. Sabalenka's defeat of Pegula was also her third in a row in Flushing Meadows.

The Gauff-Rybakina semifinal match was more complicated. Swept along by a wildly enthusiastic crowd, Gauff took the first set, but Rybakina raised her level in the second, and Gauff's sometime nemesis--her forehand--began to haunt her. Rybakina won that set, then took the lead in the third set. However, when she served for the match at 5-3, Gauff broke her. Rybakina then broke her right back, defeating her 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Before this year, Rybakina had never advanced beyond the round of 16 at the U.S. Open.

Sabalenka, incidentally, has reached the final of both hard court majors four years in a row. Of those eight finals, she won four. Overall, Sabalenka leads Rybakina 9-7. It's a close rivalry.

She and Rybakina have met seventeen times, and six of those meetings were in finals; Rybakina won four of them. 

Paths to the final:

ARYNA SABALENKA (1)
round 1--def. Camila Osorio
round 2--Polina Iatcenko
round 3--def. Kamilla Rakhimova
round of 16--def. Taylor Townsend
quarterfinals--def. Linda Noskova (6)
semifinals--def. Jessica Pegula (3) 

ELENA RYBAKINA (2) 
round 1--def. Thea Frodin
round 2--def. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
round 3--def. Yulia Starodubtseva
round of 16--def. Naomi Osaka (13)
quarterfinals--def. Zheng Qinwen (Q)
semifinals--def. Coco Gauff (4)

Down to four at the U.S. Open

ELENA ANDREYEVNA RYBAKINA IS OUR NEW WORLD NO. 1. 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 1:03 PM

In Tuesday's first quarterfinal match, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka had to go against another big hitter--Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova. The three-set match lived up to expectations: Noskova hit 46 winners, including 18 aces, while Sabalenka hit 42 winners, including 12 aces. The world number 1 emerged the victor 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7), and she described the match as "a really tough, tight battle. Of her opponent, Sabalenka said, "What an incredible player she is...."

The defending champion won the match with a second serve ace on her first match point, which was quite a statement in itself.  

In Tuesday's evening quarterfinal, countrywomen Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro met for the fourth time in their careers. Pegula had won all four of those matches, including one played just recently in Cincinnati. Navarro, for her part, took a couple of months off this spring after dealing with health issues for a long time. 

It was exhausting, just watching this match. Both players are known for their "strictly business" approach to playing matches, and it was indeed strictly business. Pegula's serve was inconsistent and not up to her usual standard, and her opponent took advantage of that fact. Navarro took the first set 6-3, and--not surprisingly--Pegula brought her level up and won the second set. The 3rd seed became a bit wobbly again in the final set, but once again raised her level, and emerged with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. 

In today's first quarterfinal, qualifier (a strange description for someone who was an Australian Open runner-up and who is the holder of an Olympic gold medal)  Zheng Qinwen took advantage of a not quite in-form Elena Rybakina and took the first set. But--just like in the Pegula match--Rybakina elevated her game in the second set and won it 6-1. She would go on to win the third set, and--in doing so--she not became a U.S. Open semifinalist, she also became the world number 1. Before this year, Rybakina had never advanced past the round of 16 in Flushing Meadows.

In the final quarterfinal match, 2026 Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva faced off against two-time major champion (one of those titles was earned at the 2023 U.S. Open) Coco Gauff.  Andreeva began the match by breaking Gauff, then rather quickly went up 4-0. She won that set 6-2, making it the first set that Gauff had lost in the tournament. 

The second set was thrilling by any standard, and included some really long rallies. It went to a tiebreak, in which Gauff led, but then Andreeva brought it to 5-all, then failed to convert a match point. She then failed to convert her second match point, and Gauff won the set on her set point. Gauff then dominated the third set, and--at 2-5 in the third--it was Andreeva who saved a match point, but Gauff won on her second attempt.

It was a stunning victory against a very difficult opponent. Both players made 42 unforced errors; Gauff hit 22 winners, Andreeva hit 25. Gauff also double-faulted twelve times, yet she was able to overcome every deficit in her game.

Here is the semifinal draw, which features the tournament's top four seeds:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v. Jessica Pegula (3)
Coco Gauff (4) v. Elena Rybakina (2) 

In doubles, top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend advanced to the final by defeating 8th seeds Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider 6-0, 7-6 (8). (Shnaider's usual partner, Mirra Andreeva, is stepping back a bit from doubles, so they aren't playing together on a regular basis.) Also advancing to the final were the unseeded team of Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery, who defeated 2nd seeds Gaby Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8).

In wheelchair competition, the two top seeds, Defending champion Yui Kamiji and Diede de Groot, both advanced to the second round; De Groot had to go three sets against countrywoman Lizzy De Greef. 

Come for the tennis, stay for the drama

QINWEN ZHENG WON BOTH OF THESE SETS IN BACK-TO-BACK MATCHES 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) September 7, 2026 at 11:47 AM

Pro tennis is dramatic by nature, and WTA tennis is known for sometimes adding that extra something to the mix. But I doubt if anyone was expecting the Zheng Qinwen Show. Zheng, who was a finalist at the 2024 Australian Open and who demonstrated great potential from the moment she entered the tour, has recently had to find her way back from a lengthy injury break. The Chinese star had elbow injury in July of 2025, and didn't return to the tour until February of this year. 

Zheng had to qualify to play in this year's U.S. Open. Having won her three qualifying rounds, she proceeded to defeat world number 125 Kristina Liutova, and then--in the second round--the often tricky Yulia Putintseva; that match lasted over two and a half hours. But that was just a warmup for the main (so far) part of the Show: In the third round, Zheng came back from 0-5 in the third set to defeat Madison Keys. Granted, Keys was feeling out of sorts, and is also known for sometimes transforming victory into defeat, but nevertheless--drama.

Today, in the continuation of round of 16 play, Zheng faced 2022 champion Iga Swiatek, and suddenly, she found herself down 0-5 in the first set. No problem--the world number 121 won that set 7-5, then went on to win the second set 6-3. In doing so, Zheng became the first qualifier (or lucky loser) to beat Swiatek at a major. 

In another exciting round of 16 match, Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva faced off against former countrywoman Anastasia Potapova, who has been playing some excellent tennis lately. Potapova won the fist set 7-5, Andreeva won the second, 6-4, and--just as Potapova was fighting to stay in the match at 3-5 in the third--she fell and hurt her knee. Potapova received treatment, but the knee wrap wasn't enough to bring her movement back to where it had been; Andreeva won the set 6-3.

Swiatek wasn't the only former U.S. Open champion to exit in the round of 16 today. Two-time champion Naomi Osaka lost in straight sets to Elena Rybakina, who achieved her 6-1, 6-4 score with a scary first serve win percentage of 87. She also hit 29 winners and made only 17 unforced errors. The two-time major champion, who has yet to drop a set, now advances to her first U.S. Open quarterfinal. Rybakina had to retire in Cincinnati because of a foot injury, but that appears to be resolved.

In today's final round of 16 match, 2023 champion Coco Gauff played against countrywoman Iva Jovic, who had all that she could deal with in the first set, which Gauff won 6-1. Jovic began playing better in the second set, but she couldn't play well enough to stop Gauff, who defeated her 6-1, 6-4. 

 Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v. Linda Noskova (6)
Jessica Pegula (3) v. Emma Navarro (26)
Mirra Andreeva (5) v. Coco Gauff (4)
Zheng Qinwen (Q) v. Elena Rybakina (2)

Evonne Goolagong's strange U.S. Open record

Though Maria Sharapova holds the unusual record of losing five Miami finals and never winning the event, Evonne Goolagong (who, in 1975, became Evonne Goolagong Cawley) holds an even more unusual record: She never won the U.S. Open, but she lost four consecutive finals.

In 1973, Margaret Court defeated Goolagong in three sets. The next year, the Australian star was defeated by Billie Jean King, also in three sets. In 1975, she won only one game against King. And in 1976, Chris Evert defeated Goolagong Cawley 6-3, 6-0. 

Googlagong Cawley would compete in the U.S. Open one more time, in 1979, and would lose in the quarterfinals to Evert. 

Goolagong and Evert had a serious rivalry that has been overshadowed by the remarkable rivalry of Evert and Martina Navratilova. The two had significantly different games, which made for great tennis theatre. They met 27 times, with Evert ruling the rivalry 19-8.

Goolagong Cawley holds seven major titles--four Australian Open, one Roland-Garros, and two Wimbledon (the second one came at the expense of Evert). 

I have Goolagong-Cawley to thank for my lifelong enthusiasm for women's professional tennis. I was in London, visiting relatives, and Wimbledon was in session. My relatives kept the television on the tournament the entire time I was there, though I don't recall any of them watching it for very long. But I did--because I was mesmerized by graceful athleticism of the young woman with the musical name. To my delight, she won the tournament. I would later also become a major Chris Evert fan.

 

Top seed and two-time defending champion Sabalenka advances to U.S. Open quarterfinals

Linda Noskova wins 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 vs Marta Kostyuk Linda was thinking not again after she had 2 match points when serving for the 2nd set but she gets across the line on match point #6. Becoming a master of bouncing back in the 3rd after not closing it out in 2.

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— Tennis Updates (@tennisupdates.bsky.social) September 6, 2026 at 2:18 PM

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who won the U.S. Open in 2025 and 2026, advanced to the quarterfinals today when she defeated Taylor Townsend in straight sets. Sabalenka has not won a major this year, though she did reach the final of the Australian Open. 

Also advancing was Wimbledon champion 6th seed Linda Noskova, who defeated 11th seed Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. This was, as expected (at least, by me) a riveting match, with plenty of momentum swings. The stats are interesting: Kostyuk hit nine aces, Noskova hit none. Kostyuk had a first serve win percentage of 70, while Noskova's was 63. Kostyuk's winner-to-unforced error ratio was 36/33; Noskova's was 27/37. Kostyuk converted 71% of break points; Noskova converted 67%. (Noskova did better with her second serve than Kostyuk did.)

Those stats deserve one of those Linda Noskova Won This Match graphics. The young Czech star needed six match points to win it (Kostyuk saved two of then in dramatic fashion to force a third set.) She never gave up against a very athletic player who can drive opponents crazy, and she came through on a lot of really big points. "... I feel like a huge rock fell off my heart at the end," Noskova said after the two-and-a-half-hour match.

3rd seed Jessica Pegula defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in her career. The scoreline looks a bit boring, but--despite some inconsistency from both players--it was a good match. Cirstea, who is set to retire at the end of this season, has enjoyed the best season of her career in 2026. There was an especially nice moment between the players at the net following the match.

In today's final round of 16 match, Emma Navarro defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4. Kalinskaya survived her third round match, in which she double-faulted fourteen times, but she was simply too inconsistent against an always-steady Navarro, alternating flashes of brilliance with moments of frustration-driven shot-making. 

One week in, and the U.S. Open is already a collection of notable stories

Queen-wen Returns! After fighting her way through qualifying and two main draw matches, Zheng Qinwen pulls off a stunning comeback to reach the 4th round at the US Open The reigning Olympic gold medalist rallies from a 0-5 deficit in the final set, winning the final 7 games to topple Madison Keys

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— Tick Tock Tennis (@ticktocktennis.bsky.social) September 5, 2026 at 12:40 PM

A lot has happened since main draw play began at the 2026 U.S. Open. Two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova lost (again) in the first round, the Williams sisters played (and lost) a long and entertaining doubles match, Karolina Muchova went from brilliant to befuddled, and Emma Navarro and Lois Boisson gave us a visual that ranks among the best of its kind when the victorious Navarro celebrated her victory in juxtaposition to Boisson's Zvonareva-level racket breaking.

And then there was the crowd. There is no longer any question--the U.S. crowd is more ill-behaved than even the French, who--for a long time--held the title. Among the drinking, the marijuana smoking, the policy that lets ticket-holders take their seats whenever they want, and the addition of a group of ill-behaving influencers (I hate it when I have to use that word), things have gotten out of control. In my opinion, anyone who disrupts play in any way--after one warning--should be escorted out of the stadium. I know--good luck with that.

Czechs are generally fixtures in the second week of majors, but--as of now--there is only one Czech standing. Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, seeded 6th, was put to a hard test in the third round by Ann Li, but she passed it. Krejcikova made it to the round of 16 at Wimbledon, but lost in the first round in all the other majors this season. A victim of the Czech Curse, Krejcikova just doesn't seem herself after her long injury and illness struggle. 

As for Muchova--after delivering bagels in both her first and second round matches--she simply could not find her serve in her third round match against Emma Navarro. Rising star Nikola Bartunkova gave Mirra Andreeva an excellent fight in the second set, but Andreeva prevailed, 6-2, 7-6 (5). And finally, in the third round, Marie Bouzkova gave it her all against 2022 champion Iga Swiatek, but Swiatek advanced with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) victory. This was such a close match, and Bouzkova, despite losing, certainly played some of her best tennis.

Sorana Cirstea, playing in her (probably) final U.S. Open, continues to show the best of her game. The Romanian veteran, who is having one hell of a season, defeated Jasmine Paolini in the third round. Also in the third round, Anna Kalinskaya-- despite double-faulting fourteen times--defeated Elina Svitolina in a momentum-shifting three-set match. If Kalinskaya can get the serving problem under control, she has the power and accuracy to keep going at this event.

3rd seed Jessica Pegula had to come back from a 1-6 first set against Leylah Fernandez in the third round, while the ever-evolving Marta Kostyuk, seeded 11th, defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets, and the unseeded Taylor Towsend upset 15th seed Diana Shnaider. 

And then there was Madison Keys. who--up 5-0 in the third set--lost to a resurgent Zheng Qinwen.  This sort of thing happens rarely, but it does happen. After the match, Keys said: “I obviously got off to a really good lead, and then I just got really scared, like I couldn't swing. Tennis just feels really hard right now, so I feel like that kind of took over."

A highly anticipated match was the third round clash between close friends Iva Jovic and Alex Eala, two of the tour's youngest, most promising stars. They did not disappoint. Jovic experienced what appeared to be a slight leg injury, but it didn't appear to hamper her too much. There were several momentum swings during the match, and Jovic was down 2-4 in the third set, but fought her way back. Eala then saved a match point at 4-5, but--after over three hours--Jovic prevailed, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. This was a splendid match by any standard.

Here is the round of 16 draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v. Taylor Townsend 
Marta Kostyuk (11) v. Linda Noskova (6)
Jessica Pegula (3) v. Sorana Cirstea (16)
Anna Kalinskaya (21) v. Emma Navarro (26)
Mirra Andreeva (5) v. Anastasia Potapova (24)
Iva Jovic (14 ) v. Coco Guaff (4)
Iga Swiatek (8) v. Zheng Quinwen
Naomi Osaka (13) v. Elena Rybakina (2)

Coco Gauff wins Cincinnati, and it feels like '23

In just the second all-American women's singles final at the Cincinnati Open since 1970, Coco Gauff defeated Jessica Pegula to win the WTA 1000 event. It was Gauff's second Cincinnati Open title. My @tennistourtalk.bsky.social story 🎾 #tennis #CincyTennis tennistourtalk.com/136989/gauff...

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— Michael Dickens (@michaelcdickens.bsky.social) August 24, 2026 at 5:59 AM

Earlier this month, I wondered--after Rybakina, Andreeva and Noskova--who would be next to win a major in 2026? And after the last couple of weeks in Cincinnati, one would be very likely to say "Coco Gauff." The 22-year-old two-time major champion quite obviously went with the Angie Kerber "identify it, own it, fix it" school of problem-solving, and has brought her game to new level. It seemed almost unreal to see her dismantle Jessica Pegula--who was in peak form throughout the Cincinnati Open--6-2, 6-4 in the final.

This was Gauff's first title of the season, but it was a big one. She won Cincinnati in 2023, too, then went to Flushing Meadows and won the U.S. Open. It could happen again.

In the meantime, Elena Rybakina injured her achilles in Cincinnati and had to retire from her quarterfinal match; one hopes that she'll be healthy for the U.S. Open. And Iga Swiatek, who recently won her first title of the season in Toronto, looked good in Cincinnati, but was stopped by Pegula in a close match in the semifinals. 

The U.S. Open title is certainly up for grabs, but there's no denying now that Gauff is a major contender. 

Few things are inevitable, but this came close

The 2026 Cincinnati Open has given us a number of exciting and deeply competitive matches, plus the bonus of a breakthrough performance by the young Czech player, Sara Bejlek. And in tennis, anything can happen--and often does--but all along, it seemed that it would be very difficult to stop either Jessica Pegula or Coco Gauff. And sure enough, those two will meet in tonight's final.

The semifinal match played between Pegula and defending champion Iga Swiatek was a contest marked by constant momentum shifts, with Pegula finally prevailing at 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. It was the sixth time that the USA's top-ranked player had defeated Swiatek (she is now 6-7 against the Polish star).

Pegula, known among fans as Ms. Consistency (and in Charleston, as Three-Set Jess) is known for her cool head and her patience--the win against Swiatek was Pegula's third consecutive three-set match, and her seventeenth of the season. "I think," Pegula said, "that it's the way that I play."

For her part, Gauff faced an obviously tired Bejlek, who simply did look like the player who had taken out Barbora Krejcikova, top seed Aryna Sabalenka, and Madison Keys. Was it a fitness issue, a heat issue, or--at least partly--an emotional reaction to suddenly being on a very big stage? Most likely, it was a little of each. It didn't help  that Gauff put on what amounted to as an advanced tennis clinic during their match, winning eight of the last nine games, and thrilling spectators with her speed and variety.

Pegula is 5-4 against Gauff, with four of those matches played on hard courts. 

Paths to the final:

COCO GAUFF (4)

round 1--bye

round 2--d. Liudmila Samsonova 

round 3--d. Ann Li (28)

round 4--d. Marie Bouzkova (22)

quarterfinals--d. Marta Kostyuk (10)

semifinals--d. Sara Bejlek

JESSICA PEGULA (3)

round 1--bye

round 2--d. Simona Waltert
round 
round 3--d. Emma Navarro (25
)
round 4--d. Sorana Cirstea (15)

quarterfinals--d. Amanda Anisimova (9)

semifinals--d. Iga Swiatek (7) 

And we have doubles champions: Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova defeated Magali Kempen and Alexandra Panova 6-1, 6-2 in the final. This is the Czech team's first title together.

Despite the Czech Curse, Czech tennis keeps on keeping on

🎾 #Tennis #CincyTennis #CincinnatiOpen #CincyOpen Sara Bejlek defeats the WTA #1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Aryna was cruising up 4 games to 1 & then Sara took the last 5 games. I don't really understand what just happened.

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— Mark Taylor (@emarktaylor.bsky.social) August 19, 2026 at 11:32 PM

Karolina Muchova, probably the most injured player on the tour, withdrew from this year's Cincinnati Open in order to take care of her body in preparation fort the U.S. Open. Muchova has looked good lately, but fans of the Czech artist always hold their collective breath because--the injuries seem to always be lurking in the background. Barbora Krejcikova, victim of the Czech Curse Double--both injury and illness--is back on the tour, but she sometimes appears vulnerable--and tired. Such was the case when she played countrywoman Sara Bejlek in the second round. Bejlek defeated the two-time major champion 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova made it to the round of 16, in which she lost in straight sets to an on-fire Amanda Anisimova. But Bejlek was still standing, and would go on to defeat top seed and 2025 champion Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets in that same round. The 20-year-old lefty then went on to defeat Madison Keys in the quarterfinals, in a highly competitive match in which the Czech player was down 3-6, 1-3.  Bejlek is only five feet, three inches tall, but she's very quick, and she plays a great defensive game. (She will undoubtedly gain the "feisty" label from commentators.) 

Bejlek gained a lot of attention this year when--playing as a qualifier, and ranked number 101 in the world-she won the Abu Dhabi title. In that event, she defeated Alona Ostapenko, Clara Tauson and--in the final-- Ekaterina Alexandrova. 

Coco Gauff advanced to the semifinals tonight when she defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-2. This was a match that probably "should" have been more competitive, but Kostyuk' second serve let her down repeatedly.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek has looked good in Cincinnati, and she was the recipient of an unfortunate gift yesterday when opponent Elena Rybakina had to retire from their quarterfinal because of an achillies injury. And in a close, exciting match, Jessica Pegula defeated countrywoman Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4). 

Here is the semifinal draw:

Sara Bejlek v. Coco Gauff (4)
Jessica Pegula (3) v. Iga Swiatek (7) 

In doubles, the unseeded team of Magali Kempen and Alexandra Panova upset 5th seeds Hsieh Su-wie and Alona Ostapenko in the semifinals, and will face another unseeded team, Marie Bouzkova and Linda Noskova, in the final. 

Iga refuses to shake it off

Swiatek d. Elina Svitolina 6-3 1-6 6-3 in Toronto Iga reaches her 1st final of 2026 She’s also into her 1st Canadian Open final 14th WTA 1000 final 31st final of her career at 25 years old ✅1st final since Seoul 2025 ✅55th top 10 win Back in business 🇵🇱❤️

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) August 12, 2026 at 9:36 PM

Iga Swiatek's musical idol, Taylor Swift, has given many gifts to her fans, not the least being a kind of dramatic permission for women to express anger. Even in this so-called "enlightened" and "feminist" age, women's anger is still largely considered something to be hidden. And while anger is an emotion--just like sadness, joy and fear--it's an emotion only when females feel and express it. Men can go into intense rages while accusing women of being "too emotional." (Remember when Marat Safin, who held--and probably still holds--the record for breaking the most rackets, called his sister, Dinara, "too emotional"?)

Swiatek, the former world number 1 who has experienced some tough times in the last year or so, has received the full female athlete treatment among "fans" and social media participants. She's boring (a ridiculous notion--the Polish star is actually a rather delightful, somewhat nerdish character), she's a cheater, she's a has-been, she needs cosmetic surgery, and--who can forget Jimmy Arias criticizing her for wearing a baseball cap because, with the cap on, we can't see her....smile!!?

Last year, many people considered Swiatek "done," but then she went to London and won her first Wimbledon title. That didn't seem to make much of an impression, however, since the "done" talk started again this year. For a long time, there has been criticism of Swiatek's relationship with her sports psychologist, and various fans have projected various meanings onto that relationship. And when the Polish star began to visibly struggle with her emotions while on the court, even serious fans couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she needed a different professional to help her with mental strength and stability.

No one but Iga Swiatek knows whether she is receiving adequate psychological help, and (I'm speaking here as a retired mental health professional), she may not know, either. She changed her coach, and then she changed her coach again. And while that's not at all unusual among WTA players, it does indicate that Swiatek not only recognized that something was wrong, she was doing what she could to make it right. 

This week, the Polish star reached her first final of the season, a fact that still sounds odd, no matter how many times one hears it stated. She dropped only one set in Toronto--to Elina Svitolina--and she defeated Elena Rybakina in straight sets in the final. Granted, Rybakina was very tired because of the way her schedule had gone, but Swiatek nevertheless continued her run of excellent on-court performances.

The victory obviously meant a great deal to Iga, but she was feeling more than joy (the crowd had been screaming "Iga! Iga!") and relief. During the trophy ceremony, she said, "I’m really happy about this tournament. It means so, so much to me because all these past months were not easy. I’m really happy that I kept focusing on growing, changing my game a little bit, improving, despite all the opinions many people have about me every day on the Internet, live." 

She continued:

"I want to dedicate this title to everyone who is dealing with unfair judgment and hate."

Later, Swiatek said that "After I won, I kind of let myself feel it [the anger] a little bit because there are plenty of things that athletes, not only athletes, all the people, have to struggle with. Sometimes we need to fight things that we shouldn’t."

I, for one, was glad to see Angry Iga make an appearance. Those who appreciate both Taylor and Iga will know that--it's no wonder she broke. Unfair judgment and hate are the fuels that make the Internet engine run, and female athletes (and Taylor Swift) are often the targets. It's gratifying to see a Mad Woman take a stand.  

Rybakina, Andreeva, Noskova, and......?

The unpredictability of the WTA is a feature that I enjoy, though--at times--real tennis fans know that the "surprises" aren't surprises at all. This year, for example, two of the tour's most talented upstarts--Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova--won majors. And while it was a bit of a surprise that Andreeva's first major victory was achieved on the clay courts of Roland-Garros, it felt to me that her holding a major trophy was something that happened right on time. And while Noskova has remained much more under the radar than Andreeva, it was also only a matter of time before she broke through.

Elena Rybakina, the opposite of an upstart, wasn't a "surprise" champion in Australia, but her months of struggling with illness and coaching issues made her vulnerable. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, who--on a good day--can beat anyone and make it look easy, overcame her problems and burned through the draw, taking out Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, and--in the final--world number 1 and two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Is there a true favorite to win this year's U.S. Open? I don't think so. Defending champion Sabalenka, who also won the event in 2024, will be highly motivated, given that she has yet to win a major this year (she did win the Sunshine Double, which is no small feat). Rybakina, Andreeva, Noskova, and Sabalenka are all hard court threats. But these are not the only contenders.

Jessica Pegula has never won a major, though every year, she appears to be closer to doing so. I've always thought that the U.S. Open would provide her with her best opportunity, and the world number 3, whose steadiness and consistency has served her well for a long time, is certainly a contender. 

Is Swiatek a contender? I say yes. The former world number 1, who won the event in 2022, has had a hard time of it lately, and is currently not considered a major contender at any big event. But things can change. Last year, when so many people said that she was in a major slump, she went to London and won Wimbledon. And while 2026 may not be the year that Swiatek gets it together again, it wouldn't be a total surprise if she did.

2023 champion Coco Gauff can certainly be considered a contender, though she has yet to win any kind of title this year. She did, however, reach the semifinals at Wimbledon. Gauff reached the U.S. Open round of 16 in 2024 and 2025, losing to Emma Navarro and Naomi Osaka, respectively. 

And then there's Alex Eala, the 21-year-old lefty from the Philippines, who has become the rising star on the tour. Eala just won her first tour title--a WTA 500 event--in which she defeated Pegula in the final in Washington, DC. She also reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon, after upsetting Swiatek in the third round. Eala's rise reminds me somewhat of Garbine Muguruza's--there is a sense of inevitability about her game. She will certainly be a threat at the U.S. Open.

Mentioning contenders and including only one Czech player who isn't named "Krejckova" or "Muchova" feels strange. Muchova, as long as she stays healthy, is hardly a long shot to win any major. Two-time major champion Krejickova, who has reached the U.S. Open quarterfinal twice, should be a contender. However, she still doesn't appear to be back to the form that she was in prior to her falling to the Czech Curse of chronic injury and illness. 

There are others who could make big appearances the second week of the U.S. Open. Marta Kostyuk comes to mind immediately. Kostyuk's athleticism, combined with her much-improved mental strength, could help her to go far. Elina Svitolina and Iva Jovic are also two to watch. 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova isn't in the same form that she was in last year, but she also shouldn't be counted out. And--for all we know--someone could come "out of nowhere" to claim the year's last major title. 

Note to readers of Women Who Serve

I know that many of you sometimes get here via X, so this is to let you know that my X account was hacked exactly a month ago, and I am still unable to access it. I am doing everything I can to regain access, but I have limited control over this situation. In the meantime, my account at Bluesky is active (womenwhoserve.bsky.social). Thanks to all readers of Women Who Serve for your understanding.

My Wimbledon top 10

Linda Noskova with her 2026 Wimbledon trophy. That Grand Slam Champion glow. 🏆✨

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) July 11, 2026 at 1:14 PM

Here are my top 10 Wimbledon occurrences, in ascending order:

10. Gone too soon: Three former Wimbledon champions played in the tournament, and all three wee potential second-time champions. Sadly, all three had challenges that have set them back. In 2022 champion Elena Rybakina's case, the challenge was chronic illness, which has damaged her momentum on the tour. Rybakina, seeded 2nd, didn't make it past the third round, in which she lost in straight sets to veteran player Elise Mertens. There's no shame in losing to Mertens, but it was unfortunate to see Rybakina make such an early exit.

9. In for the long haul: Anna Pushkareva won the junior girls title, defeating Sun Xinran 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the final. The two-hour and 23-minute match was the longest junior girls final in Wimbledon history. 

8. Who are you, and what have you done with Iga Swiatek?: Last year around this time, tennis fans and media were talking about what a slump Iga Swiatek was in. Well, she showed everybody by arriving in London and winning her first Wimbledon title. But, as I mentioned earlier, all three former champions came into this tournament with challenges, and Swiatek's challenge was that she was, once again, in what some might call a slump. There is no denying that the former world number 1 and six-time major champion simply hasn't been herself for a while, but who was this in London?

In the first round, Swiatek faced Taylor Townsend, a formidable opponent. They went three sets, and Swiatek won, but after the match, she was in tears, presumably from relief, but one has to wonder what's going on, what with the coaching changes and the obvious lack of confidence. The Polish star won her second round match against Karolina Pliskova, but went out in straight sets in the third round against rising star Alex Eala. Eala also defeated Swiatek last year in Miami, and is now 2-1 against her. 

The best players on the tour are going to learn how to beat a champion, yes. And young, talented players, perhaps, are going to go all out to try to do so; there's nothing shameful about losing to Alex Eala. But that was just one piece in a puzzle that has become more mysterious as the season has progressed.

7. Just when I thought nothing else could surprise me: Six-time Wimbledon champion and former world number 1 Diede De Groot, who has steadily been making a comeback since she had hip surgery, made it to the final, but lost to top seed Yui Kamiji. There's nothing shocking about that--Kamiji has been the queen of wheelchair tennis since De Groot had to leave the tour for a while. The surprise was the scoreline--6-0, 6-0. De Groot, who double-faulted repeatedly, had seemed fine throughout the tournament, but she did experience a recent retirement from another tournament, so one has to wonder whether there was some sort of relapse.

Top seeds Kamiji and Zhu Zhenzhen won the doubles title, defeating 2nd seeds Li Xiaohui and Wang Ziying 6-4, 7-5 in the final. This is Kamiji's ninth Wimbledon doubles title. She also won the singles title, and--in doing so--achieved the career Golden Slam; she is the first Japanese women to do so.

6. Coming into her own: Marta Kostyuk has played impressive tennis for a long time, but—like many other good players—her head kept getting in her way. She worked on that problem, and also made her game more aggressive, then went on a 16-match clay court win tear, which included her winning Madris, and culminated with her reaching the Roland-Garros semifinals. Kostyuk showed up in London with the same fire, and again, advanced to the semifinals. She was stopped by eventual champion Linda Noskova, but it was quite a run. It will be interesting to see what the Ukrainian star does during hard court season.

5.Try again: Alona Ostapenko, who has become a considerable force in doubles play, was part of the runner-up mixed doubles team at Wimbledon in 2019. This year, she and Marcelo Arevalo, seeded 2nd, won the title, defeating Storm Hunter and Marc Polmans in the final. 

4.  Czech-palooza!: Czech players dominated this Wimbledon tournament. Four players--Barbora Krejcikova, Linda Noskova, Karolina Muchova, and Marie Bouzkova--all advanced to the round of 16. Krejcikova, the third of the former Wimbledon champions (her challenge has been both injury and illness), made it past Roland-Garros champion Mirra Andreeva, and played a very spirited and entertaining match against Muchova, which she lost. Both Muchova and Noskova advanced to the quarterfinals, and then advanced all the way to the final. 

In the meantime, a pair of Czech teens, Jana Kovackova and Katerina Zajickova, seeded 5th, won the junior girls doubles title in a very close final. Kovackova and Zajickova also won the Roland-Garros title. And as if that weren't enough, Lucie Safarova (playing with Magda Rybarikova) won the Invitational Doubles event.

3. Coco and Karo--together again, as you always wanted to see them!:  Karolina Muchova had played Coco Gauff seven times, and had won only one of those matches. But the way the Czech star was playing in London, it was reasonable to think that we were in for some first-rate tennis when they met in the semifinals. It turns out that we had no idea what we were in for. Muchova dominated the first set, then Gauff dominated the second set, and there was a very well-played third set, which went to a tiebreak. 

No one who saw that tiebreak will forget it any time soon. Muchova, dealing with some sort of abdominal strain on her right side, nevertheless put the Muchova Show into high gear, whipping a winning volley from her shoelaces, and hitting a dive volley winner, which left her body-down on the court while her racket flew out of her hands. Gauff's moves were less dramatic, but just as deadly--Muchova had to save a match point. And after almost two and a half hours, Muchova won the match, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10).

2. Never count her out: There was a time when--if you wanted to win a doubles match (or a tournament), all you had to do was get Kiki Mladenovic to be your partner. (One year, in Charleston, Lucie Safarova arrived without her doubles partner. Mladenovic arrived the same way, so--at the last minute--they decided to be partners. They had no time to practice--at all. I asked Safarova what she thought her chances would be in doubles, and she just gave me a side-eye. She and Mladenovic went on to win the tournament.)

Mladenovic (playing with regular partners Timea Babos and Caroline Garcia) has won the Australian Open twice, and Roland-Garros four times. She was a finalist three times at the U.S. Open, and--twelve years ago--she and Babos were finalists at Wimbledon. And now, 33-year-old Mladenovic has finally added a Wimbledon title to her impressive doubles resume. She and partner Guo Hanyu, seeded 10th, upset top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the quarterfinals. They then went on to upset 2nd seeds Gaby Dabrowski and Luisa Stefanie 6-3, 7-5 in the final.

1. Czechs are always in fashion: For the first time in Wimbledon history, two Czech players contested the women's final--the artistic, yet hard-hitting Karolina Muchova, and the also hard-hitting, potential star-in-the-making Linda Noskova. Brilliant Czechs retire from the tour, but they are always succeeded by young, potentially brilliant countrywomen. It's a Czech thing. Noskova has stood out for a while, and shortly before she arrived in London, she demonstrated her grass skills by winning Berlin. 

In the final, Noskova took the first set 6-3, then--at 5-3, she served for the match. And then Muchova made a comeback so impressive, it was even more dramatic than her semifinal third set tiebreak antics. She saved five match points, and the match went to a third set, but--by then--Noskova had regained her mojo, and she emerged the 2026 Wimbledon champion, defeating her opponent 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

After the match, Muchova acknowledged that the semifinal match had taken something out of her physically, and also--that she had experienced an issue with her nerves because she wanted so badly to win. This acknowledgment brings to mind her loss in the 2023 Roland-Garros final, in which she was up a break in the third set before losing to Iga Swiatek. 

And of course, there was the matter of Muchova's opponent, who--though she wobbled in the second set--was able to get her head together and find a way to win. 21-year-old Noskova's mother died of cancer two years ago, right before Noskova played at the 2024 Wimbledon tournament, and--in her trophy acceptance speech--Noskova thanked her. "I definitely would not be standing here without her, so thank you."

Tomorrow, Noskova will be number 7 in the world, and that world will now see her as a Wimbledon champion. 

Meet the new (Wimbledon) boss--she's Czech, of course

Linda Noskova is a Grand Slam Champion, she wins 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 vs fellow Czech Karolina Muchova. Had 5 championship points in the 2nd set and regroups to perfection. • Youngest Wimbledon Champion since Kvitova (2011) • Likely Secures 1st WTA Finals Appearance (Top 20 Rule) • Career High #7

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— Tennis Updates (@tennisupdates.bsky.social) July 11, 2026 at 12:38 PM

Several years ago, after coming within a half inch of going out in a big match, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova turned the whole thing around and won it. After the match, she addressed her fans on social media by saying something to the effect of "Thanks for all the support--and sorry for the blood pressure!" Karolina Muchova could have issued a similar apology to her fans after the second set of the championship match, which was maybe even more dramatic than her third set tiebreak against Coco Gauff in the semifinals.

After Linda Noskova took total control of the first set, preventing Muchova from reaching into her considerable bag of tricks, she then proceeded to take control of the second set, too. Then, serving at 6-2, 5-3, something happened. Well, two things happened--Noskova got tight, and Muchova found her inner Houdini. She saved four championship points, and on her seventh break point, she converted for 4-5. 

At 4-5, Noskova held her fifth championship point, but could not convert it. Several deuces later, Muchova held for 5-all. 

What made this already tense situation even more dramatic was that Noskova could not only not find her serve, she double-faulted twice. Yet almost every time her opponent had a break point, Noskova would hit an ace. This happened over and over, in almost cartoon-like fashion. The role reversal continued, as Muchova broke again and held to take the set 7-5. She had performed a tennis miracle, but could she keep it up?

She could not. When the third set began, Noskova entered the court as her first-set self, and went up 3-0. Muchova was able to get back in, breaking Noskova and providing at least some indication that she could turn the third set into another thrill ride. But it wasn't to be; Noskova won the two and a half-hour match 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. The key takeaway wasn't that she became shaky in the second set (Muchova is good at making opponents shaky, as is serving for your first major title), but that she was able to put it past her and complete her mission. She was impressive throughout most of the match, and she demonstrated what happens when a champion's game syncs with a champion's mindset.

Both players struggled with their serves. They both had excellent second serve stats throughout the tournamnent, but neither could excel with the second serve in the final. Both finished with positive winners-to-unforced error ratios--Muchova's was 35/27; Noskova's was 44/36. 

It should be noted that this was the first time in 36 years that both finalists had won grass warm-up tournaments. Muchova won Bad Homburg, and Noskova won Berlin. Both finalists saved match points on their way to the final--Muchova against Coco Gauff in the semifinals, and Noskova against Sorana Cirstea in the third round. Perhaps an even more interesting fact is that this was the first time that two Czech players had ever competed in the Wimbledon final. 

Noskova has now won three WTA titles. She will enter the top 10 on Monday, as number 7 in the world.

Linda Noskova holds the Venus Rosewater Dish over the balcony after winning the Wimbledon title. Beaming. 🥰🏆

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) July 11, 2026 at 1:33 PM

Forget the Emmys--Gauff and Muchova gave us all the TV drama we could handle

KAROLINA MUCHOVA WON THIS POINT

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) July 9, 2026 at 10:03 AM

We knew that it was going to be good. We knew that it would include every shot known (we get that from Muchova alone). But maybe we didn't know just how crazy dramatic the Wimbledon semifinal--and, to be specific, the third set tiebreak--played by Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova, would be. Muchova, already known for her artistry on the court (but also known for her hard hitting and excellent serve), put on one of her best shows, which included hitting a winner from a complete dive. But she also experienced transient abdominal pain on her right side, and--toward the end--she slipped and fell while reaching for a volley.

As for Gauff, she repeatedly flummoxed her opponent, just when Muchova gained momentum. In other words, she was Coco Gauff. The scoreline pretty much defines the match: 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10). Muchova dominated, then Gauff dominated, and then they went after each other as though, well--as though a spot in the Wimbledon championship match depended on it. 

Muchova, who saved a match point, won the two hour and thirty-five minute match, and--while I don't like to say it--the Czech star's abdominal pain doesn't register the way it might if another player experienced it. Muchova's career stats, in my opinion (and I'm not alone), should have some majors listed. But years of chronic injury (the Czech Curse) have kept her from achieving so many things. Let's hope that, this time, this is just a routine stitch that will heal with rest and treatment.

Prior to today, Muchova was 1-6 against Gauff. This is her second major final. In 2023, she reached the final of Roland-Garros, in which she was defeated by Iga Swiatek.

The second semifinal featured another Czech player, Linda Noskova, and Ukrainian star Marta Kostyuk. And, while Kostyuk's performance throughout the tournament has been outstanding, there were too many times today when "the old Kustyuk" made an appearance on the court. She was up against an opponent who was both powerful and deadly accurate, and she struggled to figure out how to handle her. That struggle appeared to take away some of Kostyuk's confidence, and--though she had some brilliant moments--she was unable to solve the problem that was Noskova, who kept her under constant pressure.

Muchova and Noskova have played each other only once, at last year's U.S. Open, and Muchova won that match.

Paths to the final:

KAROLINA MUCHVOVA (10) 
round 1--d. Anastasia Zakharova
round 2--d. Zhang Shuai
round 3--d. Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Q)
round of 16--d. Barbora Krejcikova
quarterfinals--d. Naomi Osaka (14)
semifinals--d. Coco Gauff (7) 

LINDA NOSKOVA (9)
round 1--d. Ella Seidel
round 2--d. Camila Osorio 
round 3--d. Sorana Cirstea (17)
round of 16--d. Madison Keys (26)
quarterfinals--d. Elise Mertens (25)
semifinals--d. Marta Kostyuk (12)

Gauff and Muchova weren't the only ones locked in to a tight third set tiebreak. Six-time Wimbledon champion Diede De Groot was pushed hard by her doubles partner, Aniek Van Koot, in the quarterfinals of the women's wheelchair singles competition. De Groot, seeded 2nd, defeated Van Koot 6-4, 7-6 (12). She will face 3rd seed Li Xiaohui.

In doubles, Guo Hanyu and Kiki Mladenovic, seeded 10th, will play Jiang Xinyu in the semifinals. In the other semifinal match, 13th seeds Shuko Aoyama and Liang En-Shuo will compete against 2nd seeds Gaby Dabrowski and Luisa Stafani. Guo and Mladenovic upset top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the quarterfinals. (Back in the day, I used to say that Anybody and Mladenovic was a winning team. It's interesting that here she is, taking out Siniakova in a major.

Arevalo/Ostapenko take the Mixed Doubles Title after a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over Polmans/Hunter First Wimbledon title for both.

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— Tennis Updates (@tennisupdates.bsky.social) July 9, 2026 at 2:50 PM

Finally, we have winners! Alona Ostapenko and Marcelo Arevalo, seeded 2nd, won the mixed doubles title today when they defeated Storm Hunter and Marc Polmans 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the final. This is Ostapenko's first mixed doubles title. She and Lyudmyla Kichenok won the U.S. Open women's doubles title in 2024. 

Fact Czech: They're still dominating the Wimbledon draw

Having exited Wimbledon in the first round in each of her previous four visits, Karolina Muchova is into the semifinals following a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Naomi Osaka. She will meet Coco Gauff for a place in Saturday's final.

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— The Athletic (@theathletic.com) July 7, 2026 at 12:37 PM

There are only four women left standing at Wimbledon, and two of them are Czech players. This shouldn't come as a surprise; Czechs excel on the grass. Martina Navratilova (who won the tournament twice before she changed her citizenship), Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova, Marketa Vondruosova, and Barbora Krejcikova all won in London (Kvitova won twice). And now, there's a chance for another Czech player to lift the Venus Rosewater dish.

Yesterday, Karolina Muchova--who should have had a brilliant career by now, but the Czech Curse (chronic injury) has repeatedly taken her off of the tour and quashed her momentum) defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets (7-6, 6-4). Muchova is known for her breathtaking artistry on the court--so much so that she sometimes doesn't get credit for her hard hitting and excellent serve. The Wimbledon semifinal is the sixth one that the Czech star has reached this season; the only other player with that stat is Elina Svitolina.

In yesterday's other quarterfinal match, Coco Gauff defeated countrywoman Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. "Considering I hadn't won a match on grass in two years before this tournament...I'm definitely just really happy with how I played today," the 7th seed said after the match. Pegula said that she established patterns in the match to which she probably should have adhered. She also acknowledged that her serve was off during the quarterfinal.

Today, Marta Kostyuk saw her 2026 season continue to rise in significance. After experiencing an excellent clay season, the Ukrainian player hit the grass in London with her typical fierceness and athleticism. Her straight sets defeat of 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini places her in her second-ever major semifinal; her other semifinal was in Paris this season. 

In today's other quarterfinal match, Czech player Linda Noskova defeated Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5. Veteran player Mertens, who has had an exceptional career in doubles, had never before advanced beyond the round of 16 at Wimbledon. The match was a close one, and it took Noskova almost two hours to win it. Her serve held up well throughout the match; however, she was able to convert only two of eleven break opportunities. 

Here is the semifinal draw:

Karolina Muchova (10) v. Coco Gauff (7)
Marta Kostyuk (12) v. Linda Noskova (9)

Muchova is 1-6 against Gauff; they have never played each other on grass. Kostyuk and Noskova have played each other only once, on clay. Kostyuk won that match.  

Eight women standing at Wimbledon

Marta Kostyuk gets past Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4 Wins the last 4 games from 2-4 40-30 down and makes her first Wimbledon Quarterfinal.

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— Tennis Updates (@tennisupdates.bsky.social) July 6, 2026 at 6:33 AM

Generally speaking, the round of 16 is my favorite part of a major. There are enough really good players left to make it exciting, but not too many. The first half of the Wimbledon round of 16, played yesterday, was high on drama in several different ways.

Jessica Pegula, playing on Centre Court for the first time in her career (how odd is that?) faced off against up-and-coming countrywoman Iva Jovic, and the first set looked like it belonged on a court in Paris, there were so many breaks of serve. Jovic won that set, but Pegula—calm and steady, as always—was able to take control of the match and win it, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. 

And while it may not have been hailed as the “marquee match,” those in the know knew that the contest between countrywomen Karolina Muchova and 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova was the match to watch. The pair didn’t disappoint. For two hours and 45 minutes, they delivered the kind of jaw-dropping shot-making for which they are known. Unfortunately, the Czech Curse—never far away—also made an appearance. 

For a long time, Muchova was one of the two most chronically injured players on the tour (the other was fellow Czech and 2024 champion Marketa Vondrousova). But then the Curse took hold of Krejcikova, bringing illness as well as injury. Krejcikova has slowly made her way back, and has looked really good in London. But during the third set of her round of 16 match, she had breathing problems (bringing back memories of another Czech Wimbledon champion) and her movement was hampered. She fought to the end, but she wasn’t able to overcome her opponent. Muchova won that truly beautiful match, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.

Next to fall was world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has been struggling somewhat this season. Sabalenka has won four majors—she has two Australian Open titles and two U.S. Open tiles. Her opponent was Naomi Osaka, who also holds two Australian Open titles and two U.S. Open titles. Osaka looked more at home on the grass than she ever has; she served really well, and she broke Sabalenka twice. Her 6-2, 7-6 (2) victory moves her into the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in her career.

In yesterday’s final match, Coco Gauff defeated Belinda Bencic 4 -6, 6-3, 6-4, and she did it with just two minutes remaining before the cut-off time for play that day. This is also Gauff’s first time to appear in the quarterfinals.

In today’s round of 16 play, Marta Kostyuk reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in her career when she defeated qualifier Ashlyn Krueger in straight sets. Kostyuk had an unusually good clay court season, and reached the quarterfinals of Roland-Garros. Also reaching the quarterfinals for the first time was veteran player Elise Mertens, who defeated Marie Bouzkova, also in straight sets.

2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini, who has had a troublesome season and hasn’t played many matches, has found her game in London. Today, she defeated rising star Alex Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. 

And in today’s final match, Linda Noskova defeated Madison Keys 6-4, 7-6 (2), and advanced to her first major quarterfinal. Noskova has been someone (a Czech someone, at that) to watch for a while, so this milestone is hardly a surprise. Last year, she made it to the round of 16, but lost to eventual finalist Amanda Anisimova. This year, Anisimova was defeated by Keys in the third round.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Naomi Osaka (14) v. Karolina Muchova (10)

Jessica Pegula (4) vs. Coco Gauff (7)

Marta Kostyuk (12) v. Jasmine Paolini (13) 
Linda Noskova (9) v. Elise Mertens (25)