The Czech player is one of the surprises of this Roland-Garros and plays her semi-final against Sabalenka.
You may not know her, but Karolina Muchova does an excellent Roland-Garros. In a complicated game of the table, the Czech achieved the first big blow of the fortnight by eliminating the Greek Maria Sakari in the round of 16 in straight sets. Irina-Camelia Begu (27th) and Elina Avanesyan (134th) were swept away, as was 2021 finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Place now in Aryna Sabalenka this Thursday, June 8, the 2nd world.
Since a young age, Karolina Muchova has had an idol, Roger Federer. His game, very forward, is a kind of homage to the Swiss. “I loved his game, I learned a lot watching him, she explained at the press conference. I was inspired by his slices, his volleys. Everything, I loved everything.” The player also appreciates the cushioning and variations, a true tennis identity. “I think that’s always been with me. I’ve always loved competition and variety in my game. If you watch videos of my matches when I was young, you can see me varying my shots already then.
Karolina Muchova is also known for her numerous injuries, particularly in 2022, on the Suzanne-Lenglen court, where she left the court in tears and on a wheelchair, forced to retire in the third round against American Amanda Anisimova. after twisting his right ankle.
At the highest level quite late, Karolina Muchova won only one title on the circuit with the Korea Open. She also has a quarter-final on the grass at Wimbledon and a semi-final at the Australian Open by overthrowing local and world number 1 Ashleigh Barty in the quarter-finals.
The Czech is currently 43 in the ATP rankings. But with her good run at Roland-Garros 2023, the player should do well in the standings.