Muchova defeats Osaka to reach first Wimbledon semifinal against Gauff

Czech player Karolina Muchova has ended former world number one Naomi Osaka's Wimbledon campaign, securing her first-ever semifinal berth at the prestigious tournament. Muchova triumphed over the Japanese star in a tense 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory that lasted one hour and 42 minutes.

This marks Muchova's fifth Grand Slam semifinal appearance and her first since the U.S. Open in 2024. The win propels her to a career-high WTA ranking of sixth. She becomes the fourth Czech player in the Open Era to reach the women's singles semifinals at all four Grand Slams, joining Hana Mandlikova, Jana Novotna, and Karolina Pliskova.

Muchova, who has now won nine consecutive matches, all on grass, will face American Coco Gauff in the semifinals. Their head-to-head record stands at 7-1 in Gauff's favor, though Muchova won their most recent encounter this year in Stuttgart. Notably, they have never played each other on grass.

"I was very nervous because Osaka is a great player," Muchova said after the match. "I have played her many times and we know each other quite well. You cannot lose concentration against her for a moment. You have to play every point. You cannot give in and if you give her an opportunity, everything can change in her favor. But I am happy to have reached the semifinals."

Muchova also expressed her surprise at her success on Centre Court, a venue where she had previously struggled. "It's incredible what has happened. In this environment. I have played on this Centre Court three times before and I had always lost, so I haven't had a good relationship with this court," she revealed.