Caroline’s 100% today! After Pliskova, Muchová also advanced to the quarterfinals

Karolína Muchová was the last Czech to make it to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. Up to this point, our players’ record was 1:1, with Barbora Krejcikova dropping out and Karolina Pliskova advancing.

Muchova worked out two break points in the opening game, but the Spaniard quickly turned them away and started to trouble the Czech’s serve. And Badosa didn’t waste her fourth chance to steal serve. The Spaniard took a quick 3:0 lead after holding serve again.

The nineteen seed won her first game on serve and at least reduced the score to 1::3. But Muchova was trailing her opponent and at 3::5 she was already facing her opponent’s serve to win the set. But at the critical moment, she took advantage of a second break point chance and came back into the game. It was 5::5 and it was de facto a two-setter.

The 30th-seeded Spaniard had the advantage of the serve again, and with a clean game she worked her way back into the lead, this time 6::5. Muchová lost one game, but she did not let the tiebreak get away from her. In the shortened game, the Czech took a quick 2:0 lead but allowed the Spaniard to turn the score around, often with cheap errors.

The change of sides was played at 2::4 for the Czech player and she had to win at least once a return point. With Badosa already leading 5::2, it seemed that she was going to take the first set in stride. But Muchova levelled and made it even more difficult for the Spaniard. Eventually, the second exchange of sides took place when Karolina turned away a set point on the Spaniard’s serve.

And after a double fault from the 30th seed, it was the Czech who suddenly had the upper hand. After a tenacious defence, an unforced error from Badosa came and after a great fight Muchová won the first set.

In the second set, Muchová had the advantage of always being able to serve first and thus held the lead regularly. With a 3:2 lead, the Czech and 22nd ranked player in the world developed two opportunities to break her opponent and managed to convert the second one. At 4::2 she was within reach of the Grand Slam quarterfinals.

But at that moment, her game had completely deserted her. An immediate rebound brought the Spaniard back into the match and the psyche of the 30th seed was on a very positive note. Badosa was only on this wave for a short while, as she had to face two match points from her opponent at 4:5.

And when the Spaniard fumbled a shot, Muchova could start the celebration. In her second appearance on the London grass, she broke into the top eight for the second time and will challenge the better of the Kerber-Gauff pair in the quarterfinals.

Source: Wimbledon Live