Spin it to win it: Muchova’s backhand slice, which she uses as a variation to her regular double-fisted ground-stroke, worked well on clay but should serve her even better on grass. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Net gains: A natural on grass, Muchova made the quarterfinals in her first Wimbledon appearance. Connoisseurs of serve-and-volley tennis will follow her progress at this year’s Championships with keen interest. | Photo credit: Getty Images
Around this time last year, Karolina Muchova was in a wheelchair. An ankle injury had ended her French Open. It was another setback for the injury-plagued Muchova, who had been sidelined for seven months in 2021-22 with an abdominal problem. Once a top-20 player, her ranking declined — she found herself at No. 235 last August, with doctors asking her to reconsider playing professional tennis because they feared her body couldn’t withstand the rigours.
It was one of her lowest points, especially because she had already had to deal with a series of injuries as a teenager competing in the juniors, which had hindered her development as a player. “There have been many lows, I would say, from one injury to another,” said Muchova. “For sure when I missed the Australian Open last year, and I was in a pretty bad state health-wise, some doctors told me maybe you’ll not do sport anymore. But I always kept it kind of positive in my mind and tried to work and do all the exercises to be able to come back.”
This comeback, which featured quarterfinal runs in Auckland, Dubai, Indian Wells and a return to the world’s top 50, peaked at Roland-Garros. Over a fortnight on the Parisian red clay, Muchova captured the imagination with a brand of vibrant, creative tennis that is rarely seen on the Tour.
The 26-year-old Czech compiled an impressive list of victims, which included World No. 8 Maria Sakkari, 2021 Roland-Garros runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and Australian Open champion and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. Muchova then came close to winning her first Grand Slam with a spirited fightback against World No. 1 Iga Swiatek but lost 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
“It was very close, but very far,” said Muchova. “I’m a little sad but I gave my everything on the court so I have nothing to regret. The feeling is a little bitter, but to call myself a Grand Slam finalist is amazing. Because I know what I have been through in the past, [it] makes me appreciate this even more now.”
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