Karolina Muchova ends Coco Gauff’s run at Wimbledon to reach the final after dramatic tiebreaker

Karolina Muchova ends Coco Gauff’s run at Wimbledon in drama-filled tiebreaker to reach the final 1 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States, background, in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 2 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 3 of 5 | Coco Gauff of the United States loses her balance during a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 4 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 5 of 5 | Coco Gauff of the United States reacts after losing a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 1 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States, background, in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 1 of 5 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States, background, in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 2 of 5 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | Coco Gauff of the United States loses her balance during a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 3 of 5 Coco Gauff of the United States loses her balance during a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) 4 of 5 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Coco Gauff of the United States in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | Coco Gauff of the United States reacts after losing a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 5 of 5 Coco Gauff of the United States reacts after losing a point against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their semifinal women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday, July 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] London (AP) — Karolina Muchova ended Coco Gauff’s run at Wimbledon in a drama-filled tiebreaker to reach the final on Thursday.Muchova won 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) to become the fourth Czech woman in the last six years to reach the championship match of the grass-court Grand Slam.“It was such a big fight,” Muchova said. “It was a roller coaster.”Gauff wasted a match point in the tiebreaker when she dinked an attackable forehand into the net to follow a powerful first serve.Muchova then produced a lob winner to set up her first match point, which she lost when she slipped to the grass and a passing shot from Gauff sailed by her.But Muchova quickly set up another match point and produced a shot to the corner. Gauff reached the ball but her forehand response landed in the net and Muchova covered her hands in disbelief.“You’re up and down in 10 seconds. You have a match point, then match point down. It’s no time to think, but very nerve-wracking,” Muchova said. “I’m really kind of shaking and trying to sink it in.”It will be the ninth-ranked Muchova’s second Grand Slam final after losing to Iga Swiatek in the 2023 French Open championship match. Muchova could face another Czech player in Saturday’s final, with Linda Noskova to play Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the other semifinal next on Centre Court. 4 MIN READ 1 MIN READ 2 MIN READ The other Czech women in the Wimbledon final recently were: Karolina Pliskova (runner-up in 2021); Marketa Vondrousova (champion in 2023); and Barbora Krejcikova (champion in 2024).For Gauff, it was still her most successful Wimbledon. Previously, the seventh-ranked American had gone only as far as the fourth round three times – including during her breakthrough run as a 15-year-old in 2019. The men’s semifinals on Friday feature top-ranked and defending champion Jannik Sinner against seven-time Wimbledon winner Novak Djokovic and French Open champion Alexander Zverev against British wild card Arthur Fery.It was another hot day in London with the temperature soaring to 91 degrees Fahreinheit (33 Celsius), prompting spectators to fan themselves in the stands in an attempt to keep cool. Muchova appeared to be struggling physically as the match wore on, bending over in exhaustion after one long rally and holding her abdomen in apparent pain during the final game.“I’m OK,” Muchova said. “I just was trying to catch a breath.”Muchova said she took a photo of Centre Court when she came to practice on the famed lawn ahead of her first career match on the most revered court in tennis.“There are so many of us tennis players and I don’t think many of us get to play on this court,” she said. “It’s just a nice moment to experience all of this and this court is beautiful.”