Karolína Muchová: Difference between revisions

|birth_place = [[Olomouc]], CzechiaCzech Republic

|singlesrecord = {{tennis record|won=283284|lost=138}}

|USOpenresult = SF ([[2023 US Open – Women's singles|2023]], [[2024 US Open – Women's singles|2024]])

Muchová turned professional in 2013.<ref name=":3" /> She first rose to prominence at the [[2018 US Open – Women's singles|2018 US Open]], defeating world No. 12 and two-time [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments|major]] champion [[Garbiñe Muguruza]] in the second round. The following year, Muchová reached her first major quarterfinal at [[2019 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles|Wimbledon]] by upsetting world No. 3 [[Karolína Plíšková]]. At the [[2021 Australian Open – Women's singles|2021 Australian Open]], she reached the semifinals by defeating world No. 1 and home favorite, [[Ashleigh Barty]], but then lost to [[Jennifer Brady]]. At the [[2023 French Open – Women's singles|2023 French Open]], she reached her first major final by defeating world No. 2, [[Aryna Sabalenka]], in a close fought semifinal, finishing runner-up to world No. 1, [[Iga Świątek]] in a close three sets final where she was up a break in the deciding set multiple times.

Karolína Muchová was born on the 21st ofin August 1996 in [[Olomouc]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Karolina Muchova Bio|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/players/322191/karolina-muchova/bio|access-date=December 6, 2020|website=WTA Tennis}}</ref> Her father is former Czech footballer [[Josef Mucha]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Němý|first=Miroslav|date=30 August 2018|title=Půlnoční drama. Jak kvalifikantka Muchová složila šampionku: Je to sen|language=cs|publisher=idnes.cz|url=https://sport.idnes.cz/us-open-2018-karolina-muchova-garbine-mugurazova-ohlas-2-kolo-pa4-/tenis.aspx?c=A180830_075825_tenis_mne|access-date=30 August 2018}}</ref> He introduced her to tennis at the age of seven. She also has a brother, with whom she did many sports when they were kids. Since there were tennis courts near her home, she decided to pick up a tennis racket, and then when she was about 12, she chose tennis over handball.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Nguyen|first=Courtney|date=August 24, 2020|title=Getting to Know: Karolina Muchova - 'I never had a Plan B'|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1770363/getting-to-know-karolina-muchova-i-never-had-a-plan-b-|access-date=December 6, 2020|website=WTA Tennis}}</ref> In 2019, she moved to [[Prague]] to train at the [[I. ČLTK Prague]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> She stated that her tennis idol growing up was [[Roger Federer]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Mastroluca|first=Alessandro|date=August 31, 2018|title=Karolina Muchova's got talent: guile and power to change her career|url=https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/WTA_Tennis/59751/karolina-muchova-s-got-talent-guile-and-power-to-change-her-career/|access-date=December 7, 2020|website=tennisworldusa.org}}</ref> She struggled with a lot of injuries during her junior years.<ref name=":1" />

===2023-24: First majorMajor final, world No. 8, surgery, comeback===

Using her protected ranking, she returned to the [[2023 Australian Open|Australian Open]] and made the second round, as well as the quarterfinals at [[2023 Dubai Tennis Championships|Dubai]], defeating eighth seed Belinda Bencic but withdrew from the quarterfinal match, reaching back the top 100 on 27 February 2023, after raising 35 positions.

Still using protected ranking at thein [[2023 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells Open]], she reached the fourth round by defeating [[Yulia Putintseva]], 14th seed Victoria Azarenka and 23rd seed [[Martina Trevisan]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3108631/from-tweeners-to-stick-volleys-no-one-does-it-quite-like-muchova | title=From tweeners to stick volleys, no one does it quite like Muchova }}</ref> Next, she beat [[Markéta Vondroušová]] to reach her third quarterfinal of the season and the second on the WTA 1000-level since Dubai. As a result, she gained 20 positions in the singles rankings.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3117580/rankings-watch-muchova-continues-resurgence-rybakina-hits-career-high | title=Rankings Watch: Muchova continues resurgence, Rybakina hits career-high }}</ref> In [[2023 Miami Open|Miami]], this time as a qualifier, she advanced to the third round defeating [[Jil Teichmann]] and 32nd seed [[Zhu Lin (tennis)|Zhu Lin]]. As a result, she reached a couple of spots shy of the top 50 in the rankings. Ranked No. 43 at the [[2023 French Open|French Open]], she defeated world No. 8, Maria Sakkari, in the first round,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/rg2023-muchova-sakkari-first-round-report | title=Muchova has Sakkari's number again - Roland-Garros - the 2023 Roland-Garros Tournament official site }}</ref> her second consecutive win at this Major against the Greek and eighth top-10 win overall.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3491098/muchova-upsets-sakkari-fernandez-defeats-linette-at-roland-garros | title=Muchova upsets Sakkari; Fernandez defeats Linette at Roland Garros }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/rg2023-motivated-karolina-muchova-a-major-threat | title=Motivated Muchova a major threat - Roland-Garros - the 2023 Roland-Garros Tournament official site }}</ref> Next, she defeated [[Nadia Podoroska]], [[Irina-Camelia Begu]] and lucky loser [[Elina Avanesyan]] to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. She then stunned Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her second career major semifinal, and her first semifinal at Roland Garros. She even went one step further, beating world No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, in a three sets match, lasting over three hours, saving a match point and recovering from 2–5 down in the final set to reach her first career major final, as the fourth-lowest-ranked women’s finalist in the French Open history.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/french-open-roland-garros-womens-semifinals-updates-5c50ff26a3b161e34226d77b40cabbb1 | title=Unseeded Karolina Muchova to face No. 1 Iga Swiatek in French Open women's final | website=[[Associated Press]] | date=8 June 2023 }}</ref> She became the fifth Czech player to reach the final at Roland Garros in the [[Open era]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3532701/muchova-topples-sabalenka-at-french-open-makes-first-grand-slam-final | title=Muchova topples Sabalenka at French Open; makes first Grand Slam final }}</ref> In the final, she lost to world No. 1 and defending champion, [[Iga Świątek]], in three sets.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3534084/swiatek-holds-off-muchova-to-win-french-open-title-fourth-major-overall | title=Swiatek holds off Muchova to win French Open title; fourth major overall }}</ref> As a result, she reached a new career-high ranking of No. 16, on 12 June 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3535256/rankings-watch-haddad-maia-breaks-into-top-10-svitolina-climbs-higher | title=Rankings Watch: Haddad Maia breaks into Top 10; Svitolina climbs higher }}</ref>

In [[2023 Western & Southern Open|Cincinnati]], she reached the final of a WTA 1000 for the first time defeating 12th seed [[Beatriz Haddad Maia]], [[Petra Martić]], eighth seed Maria Sakkari, [[Marie Bouzková]] and upsetting again second seed Aryna Sabalenka. In the final, she lost to sixth seed [[Coco Gauff]] in two sets but she recorded a career-high ranking of No. 10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coco Gauff bests Muchova in Cincinnati to win first WTA 1000 title |url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3644720/coco-gauff-bests-muchova-in-cincinnati-to-win-first-wta-1000-title |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=Women's Tennis Association |language=en}}</ref>
At the [[2023 US Open (tennis)|2023 US Open]], Muchová again hit Granda Slamgood form by reaching the semifinalsemifinals stage atof the tournament for the first time in her career and second at a Grand Slam in the season. She won her opening three rounds in straight sets, defeating [[Storm Hunter]], [[Magdalena Fręch]], and [[Taylor Townsend]], before getting past [[Wang Xinyu]] in three sets in the fourth round. She then quickly dispatched [[Sorana Cîrstea]] in her quarterfinal match, only losing three games. In the semifinals, she lost her second match to Coco Gauff in a month, falling in two sets in what would ultimately be her last match of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gauff holds off Muchova to reach US Open final |url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3677116/gauff-holds-off-muchova-to-reach-us-open-final |access-date=8 September 2023 |publisher=WTA Tour}}</ref> Despite the loss, Muchová reached a career-high ranking of world No. 8 on 11 September 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rankings Watch: Sabalenka, Gauff-Pegula duo headline historic shakeup|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3679827/rankings-watch-sabalenka-gauff-pegula-duo-headline-historic-shakeup |access-date=11 September 2023 |publisher=WTA}}</ref>

Despite withdrawing from both the [[2023 Toray Pan Pacific Open|Pan Pacific Open]] and the [[2023 China Open|China Open]], Muchová qualified to the [[2023 WTA Finals|WTA Finals]] for the first time on 6 October, grabbing the final slot. Unfortunately, she was forced to withdraw from the tournament less than a week before it began due to a right wrist injury she suffered at the US Open, thereby ending her season.

Muchova made her return to the tourWTA at EastbourneTour in June at the [[2024 Eastbourne International]], where she got her first win against [[Magda Linette]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/videos/4045234/muchova-reaches-eastbourne-quarters-on-first-tournament-of-comeback|title=2024 Eastbourne Muchova reaches Eastbourne quarters on first tournament of comeback}}</ref> However, after some slight stiffness in her wrist she withdrew from the next round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4045994/fernandez-makes-first-grass-semifinal-in-eastbourne-muchova-withdraws|title=Fernandez makes first grass semifinal in Eastbourne; Muchova withdraws|date=27 June 2024|website=WTATennis.com}}</ref> At the [[2024 Wimbledon 2024Championships]] she had a tough draw against [[Paula Badosa]],<ref>{{cite andnews|url=https://apnews.com/article/wimbledon-2024-karolina-muchova-580dcba61aec24d1e1b9e93cdf037c9d|title=Karolina lostMuchova inis straightback setsat inWimbledon without the firstold roundexpectations after wrist surgery|date=30 June 2024|website=AP News}}</ref> and lost in straight sets.

In [[2024 Palermo Ladies Open – Singles|Palermo]], Muchová entered her first clay court tournament of the season as a wild cardwildcard and the number 2second seed, and reached the quarterfinals by defeating qualifiers [[Katarzyna Kawa]] by retirement and German [[Noma Noha Akugue]] in three sets. Next, she defeated Australian [[Astra Sharma]] in two close tiebreaks to reach the semifinals. In the last four, she dismissed [[Irina-Camelia Begu]] 6–1, 6–1 into 1reach hourher first final since August 2023, and 14her minutesfirst on clay since the [[2023 French Open]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-20 |title=Palermo: Muchova sets up final against Zheng |url=https://www.tennismajors.com/wta-tour-news/palermo-open-muchova-moves-into-final-774805.html |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Tennis Majors |language=en-US}}</ref> to reach her first final since August 2023, and her first on clay since the [[2023 French Open]]. In the final, she lost a close match to defending champion, Zheng Qinwen.

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|{{tennis win percentage|won=1217|lost=67|integer=yes}}

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|{{tennis win percentage|won=3843|lost=2021|integer=yes}}

|[[Tennis at the 2024 Summer Olympics|Summer2024 Paris Olympics]], Paris