Noskova Topples Gauff in Thriller for Maiden Madrid Quarterfinal

By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, April 27, 2026
Photo credit: Hermann Chu/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty

A sizeable shadow cut the court in half leaving Linda Noskova looking boxed in during the final set.

Losing nine of 10 games in a downward spiral, Noskova lit up the dirt and out-dueled Coco Gauff in a thriller.

The 21-year-old Noskova rallied from 1-4 down in the decider, firing ambitious winners in fending off Gauff 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5) to advance to her maiden Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinal.

It is Noskova’s first win over Gauff in three meetings and her 12th career Top 10 triumph.

The 13th-seeded Czech posted her first Top 10 win since October 4th when she shocked Jessica Pegula. A fearless Noskova fought off three match points in the 12th game of the decider edging Pegula 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(6) to battle into her biggest final in Beijing.

The 2025 Madrid finalist Gauff, who vomited into a trash can on court while battling past a stomach bug and Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 yesterday, looked healthier today but could not create closure from 4-1 up or find a remedy for Noskova’s forehand return late in the match.

Reigning Roland Garros champion Gauff, who became the second youngest woman to reach the Madrid final last year, fell to 19-8 on the season.

Noskova will play either American Caty McNally or 26th-seeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk for a semifinal spot.

The Gauff-Noskova clash was a contrast of styles pitting Gauff’s counter-strikes against Noskova’s knack for landing the knockout punch off both wings. Noskova broke first then confirmed the break at 30 extending her lead to 4-2.

Serving at 3-5, Gauff saved a couple of set points, including spinning an ace down the T, as she eventually held for 4-5.

On the opening point of the next game, Gauff set up for a smash right near the service line but sent it long. Noskova pounced on that error earning three more set points.

The flat-hitting Czech cranked a crosscourt forehand winner converting her fourth set point to take the 34-minute opener.

Resetting, Gauff came out in the second set spreading the court, extending rallies and helping the Czech hit her way into misery.

Struggling to keep the ball in between the lines, Noskova double-faulted gifting a second straight break and a 5-1 second-set lead to Gauff.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff stung an ace and serve winner to close the second set at love.

Gauff reeled off five games in a row and rolled through 12 of the last 14 points of that second set.

Despite a brief bathroom break, Noskova couldn’t flush the faults. The Czech double-faulted away a second straight break at 30 as Gauff snatched her sixth game to open the decider with a break.

Though Noskova gained double break point in the following game, Gauff answered with a drop shot winner and ace working through a tight test to hold for 2-0.

Leaning into her two-handed backhand, Gauff gained double break point and broke for a 4-1 lead when Noskova slapped a backhand into the bottom of the net.

Though Gauff was two games from victory, Noskova was just getting her groove going. Noskova responded with a four-game run highlighted by slashing successive aces to hold for a 5-4 lead.

Gauff lashed a pair of forehand winners down the line holding at love to force the final tiebreaker.

Though the American went up 4-2 in the tiebreaker, a fearless Noskova kept firing away. Gauff committed three errors, including ending a 14-shot rally sailing her signature shot, the backhand, as Noskova edged ahead 5-4.

A jump backhand from Gauff flew long giving Noskova match point. When Gauff whacked a backhand wide, her third backhand error in the final four points, Noskova was through in two hours, five minutes.