The Wimbledon title began in the restroom... After squandering five match points and facing a mental crisis, Linda Noskova was inspired by the trophy to rise to the top.

*This content was translated by AI.

The moment Linda Noskova (22, Czech Republic) was about to head to the restroom marked the beginning of her first-ever Grand Slam victory. Although she nearly lost a match she had almost secured, she regained her composure after seeing the championship trophy and ultimately reached the summit.

On the 12th (Korean time), at the All England Club in London, England, Noskova defeated Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova 2-1 (6-2, 5-7, 6-3) in the women's singles final of the 2026 Wimbledon Tennis Championships to claim the title.

This is the first major tournament victory for Noskova that she will never forget. Her best previous result in a major was reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. At Wimbledon, her highest achievement until last year was advancing to the round of 16, but she lifted the championship trophy just one year later. As the winner's prize money, she received 3.6 million pounds (approximately 7250 million won).

Thanks to Noskova's victory, Czech Republic has produced no fewer than three women's singles champions at Wimbledon in the past four years. Following Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024, Noskova also reached the top.

The decisive turning point that allowed Noskova to overcome her crisis surprisingly came on her way to the restroom. According to AP News, Noskova's greatest crisis occurred in the second set. After easily winning the first set, Noskova led 5-2 in games in the second set and had victory within reach. However, her concentration suddenly wavered, causing her to squander no fewer than five match points.

As the match continued to spiral out of control, Noskova appeared visibly flustered. AP reported that "Noskova covered her ears with two fingers to block out the crowd's cheers" and "even draped a signature strawberry-colored towel over her head," a symbol of Wimbledon.

But Noskova struggled to regain momentum. Ultimately, she lost five consecutive games, surrendering the second set from a 5-2 lead to a 5-7 defeat. It was a situation where her mental state could have completely collapsed.

After losing the second set, Noskova headed to the restroom. That brief pause became the starting point of a dramatic turnaround.

On her way to the restroom, two gleaming objects caught Noskova's eye. One was the large trophy awarded to the women's singles champion at Wimbledon, and the other was a smaller runner-up trophy.

Recalling that moment, Noskova stated, "I thought to myself, 'I won't take the small one. I will take the big one. I've come so close, and if I miss this opportunity, it might become the most heartbreaking moment of my life.'"

She added, "I promised myself that in the third set, no matter the outcome, I would pour my entire soul onto the court."

Regaining her composure, Noskova seized control again in the third set. She ultimately won the final set 6-3, completing an emotional victory. After securing the title, she covered her face with both hands and collapsed onto the grass court. Later, she received the large trophy she had desired from Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Noskova said, "Winning the final point was never easy," and praised her opponent: "Muchova forced me to put in tremendous effort to win." The two players, both from Czech Republic, share a special bond from having competed together in doubles. Noskova and Muchova participated together in the women's doubles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing fourth. This time, they faced each other in the Grand Slam final for the championship trophy.

Noskova expressed gratitude: "I was truly happy to share my first-ever Grand Slam final with Muchova. We made history today," and added, "Regardless of the result, Czech fans will be proud of us both. It was a special day for both of us."

Muchova responded cheerfully. She joked, "Noskova is now my old friend," making everyone laugh. She continued, "Just kidding. Noskova is still a very young player, and this was her first Grand Slam final. Yet the way she played the match was unbelievable. She fully deserved to win."

For Muchova, this was her second Grand Slam final. She had previously lost to Poland's Iga Swiatek in the 2023 French Open final.

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*This content was translated by AI.