By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, September 25, 2026
Photo credit: Billie Jean King Cup/World Tennis
Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova faced off in the Wimbledon final last July.
Today, the pair each scored straight-sets wins lifting Czechia to its first Billie Jean King Cup Final in eight years.
Wimbledon champion Noskova smacked seven aces and denied four of five break points scoring a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Cristina Bucsa sealing Czechia’s 2-0 semifinal sweep of Spain in the semifinals staged at Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre Arena, Shenzhen, China.
It was Czechia’s fourth win in seven BJK Cup meetings versus Spain.
“Playing Spain is always tricky,” Czechia captain Barbora Strycova said. “Because we were having such big battles against them many times. I used to play and we lost some.
“So I knew it’s going to be a hard one. But I believe in my girls and they show again how strong they are.”
Muchova started the day defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5, 6-4 giving Czechia a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three-match semifinals and setting the stage for Noskova to clinch a final return.
“Very special. It’s been a while for me playing Billie Jean King Cup,” Muchova said. “So to bring the first point to our locker, as well giving Linda some, let’s say, air that she doesn’t have to feel that much pressure that she needs to win is important.
“I’m happy I was able to bring that first point today.”
In her first year as Czech captain, Strycova has led the nation back to the Final.
“I think we all give our best and hundred percent at the practices,” Muchova said. “We’ve been having great week practicing all with each other.
“As I said, we have a lot of options to put the singles. It’s on [Captain] Bara who she’s going to pick. Yeah, so far she’s doing very great with that.”
On July 11th, Noskova soared through the third set in a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Muchova to capture her maiden major championship in an emotional and dramatic all-Czech Wimbledon final.
On Sunday, Czechia will play for a 12th Billie Jean King Cup championship when it faces either two-time defending champion Italy or Italy and Ukraine in the Final.
Riding an eight-match BJK Cup winning streak, Italy is bidding to reach the final for a fourth consecutive year, while Ukraine is playing for its first Billie Jean King Cup final and to become the 18th nation to reach the final.
World No. 8 Muchova converted four of six break points in a 99-minute victory over Bouzas Maneiro in the opening match.
The 21-year-old Noskova, who hammered 15 aces in a straight-sets win over Katie Boulter to lead Czechia to a 2-0 win over Great Britain in the quarterfinals, improved to 8-2 in BJK Cup singles play, including a 4-0 singles mark this season. Noskova has won eight of the nine singles sets she’s played in Billie Jean King Cup competition this season.
“Well, we definitely want to make our captain proud,” Noskova said. “As she said, the last time we won it, she was on the team. It would be quite I think beautiful for all of us to have her part of the team and win it once again, just from a different position.
“But I always love to play for the team no matter what. No matter the circumstances or whether we’re playing the finals or the quallies, nothing changes for me.”
Five-time champion Spain was denied its quest to reach its first BJK Cup Final since 2008.
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