Coco Gauff is the master of comebacks. In three-set matches at major events, she has a record of 23-7 and has won 17 after losing set one. Her reason for success is that her elite athleticism allows her to stay in matches that many players wouldn't, which can also frustrate opponents who cannot put the American away easily.
In her Wimbledon 2026 semifinal match against Karolina Muchova, the Czech player outlasted Gauff in the first round. Neither player performed anywhere near perfectly, but Muchova took better advantage of her break opportunities than the American.
Muchova took the set 6-2, but the score wasn't truly indicative of how closely it was played. If Gauff should tick up in form just a bit, she would seemingly be able to get back in the match and push for her first Wimbledon final.
Karolina Muchova defeats Coco Gauff in the semifinals of Wimbledon 2026
That is exactly what happened in set two, which the American won 6-1. Gauff had completely reversed the narrative of yet another Grand Slam match. As good as Czech women have been on grass courts in the last few years, including being two of the three most recent winners at Wimbledon, Gauff was capable of playing at a higher level than Muchova.
The third-set outcome appeared to be presumed given how well Gauff was suddenly playing, while Muchova continued to get herself into trouble with inefficient serving and unforced errors. Unless the American started playing much worse, she was likely going to sweep into the final, where she would be the favorite to win her third major, and first at Wimbledon.
As often happens after such a back-and-forth match, though, the third set began much more evenly. Each player held through to force a tie-break at 6-all, and Muchova, who had only landed a touch better than 50 percent of her first serves and lost 43 percent of those points in set two when she did land her first serve, was suddenly serving much better.
All the iffiness of form by either player was mostly gone. Muchova appeared to get a cramp in her side, but played through it and was still winning points. Gauff appeared fresher, and one might have thought that would pay off in the 10-point tie-break.
Muchova took the early lead and almost pushed that to 5-1, but after a well-placed drop shot by the Czech, Gauff was somehow able to run the ball down and hit a shot cross-court that Muchova couldn't return easily. At 4-3, Muchova launched herself at a hard-struck ball by Gauff and won the point.
Both players were performing astonishingly under pressure deep in the third set. The best tennis of the match was being played in the most decisive points.
Gauff fought back from 3-6 to get to 6-all after a forehand by Muchova clipped the net and landed just wide. A tough match was finishing just as it should have.
At 7-all, though, Gauff committed her second double fault of the match. She often struggles with her serve, but hadn't so far against Muchova. Ultimately, the point didn't cost her, as on the next point, the Czech player hit the ball long, and the tie-break was at 8-all. After Muchova hit another ball long, Gauff had a chance to win the match on her racket, but hit an odd forehand that landed in the net.
At 9-all, Muchova hit a brilliant lob to get to within one point of the victory, only to have Gauff hit an unbelievable forehand to get back to even. Muchova followed with the same at 11-10, and then pushed Coco Gauff side to side on the next point; the American eventually hit the ball into the net, and the Czech had won the match.
Karolina Muchova will next face the winner of the other Wimbledon 2026 ladies' semifinal match between Marta Kostyuk and Linda Noskova. The Czech Republic has a good chance to win the major for the third time in four years, no matter who Muchova plays in the final.
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