Karolina Muchova Makes Unexpected Confession After Reaching Wimbledon Semifinals

Karolina Muchova has admitted that she’s allergic to grass and has to take pills and use sprays and eye drops to manage her symptoms when competing on the surface. But that has not hindered her from giving a masterclass performance at Wimbledon, as she defeated four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to reach the semi-finals at the All England Club.

Muchova, who exited in the first round of Wimbledon last year, kicked off her grass-court season with a sublime run at the Bad Homburg Open. The Czech Republic star met Osaka in the final, but after winning the first set, Osaka retired from the match, making her the winner.

She arrived at Wimbledon, where she last reached the quarter-finals in 2019 and has struggled in recent years to give a decent performance. But with determination and grit, the 29-year-old showed class on the court, beating the 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova and on Tuesday (July 7), triumphing over Osaka.

Muchova won 80 percent of her first serve points against Osaka, converted three out of her seven break points, and was successful in twelve of her eighteen points at the net. She delivered a performance for the ages, fending off Osaka 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach her fifth Grand Slam semi-finals, making her the fourth Czech woman to reach the last four of all majors in the Open Era.

The triumphant Muchova was 2-3 against Osaka in their head-to-head record on tour before the grass-court season. But after her win on Tuesday, the Czech star now holds a 4-3 lead over the former World No.1. Speaking after the match, she admitted that this is her best grass version on tour, while also stressing that she is allergic to grass:

I played two tournaments before Wimbledon this year, and that helped me accumulate matches and experience. I believe that right now I feel most comfortable on this surface, something I’ve been searching for for many years… Believe it or not, the reality is that yes, I am allergic to grass. I have to take many pills, sprays, and eye drops daily.

Osaka will leave the All England Club with her head held high, having defeated last year’s semi-finalist Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round. It was her first win over Sabalenka in seven years and her revenge victory after losing to the World No.1 at the French Open. Osaka will hope to build on her Wimbledon momentum at the North American swing.

Karolina Muchova opens up on the tactics she used to beat Naomi Osaka

Karolina Muchova reached her first Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2019, marking her debut. She reached that same round the following year, but since 2021, she has failed to win a match at the All England Club. There were never doubts about the Czech star’s talent, but at Wimbledon, she was often the first top player to exit early.

But this year, she has stepped up to the occasion perfectly, grinding out results and playing at her best level. She has now won 10 matches on the grass court this season. During the mentioned press conference, the 10th seed opened up on the tactics she used to beat Naomi Osaka:

Once I got used to the court and the visual cues, I truly felt very comfortable. It helps a lot when you have a good serving day; in tough moments or at game points, I can rely on my serve or the first shot after the serve. She was hitting the ball very hard and very close to the lines. I tried to match that speed, and when I had the opportunity, I tried to hit a bit harder.

Muchova will face Coco Gauff for a place in the final of Wimbledon. The Czech star will hope to get the better of the American star, who has won four of her five matches at Wimbledon in three sets. Gauff has proven that she knows how to grind out results in difficult matches, but Muchova will hope to exploit those weaknesses.

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