{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "How Wimbledon semi-finalists have found their feet on grass",
  "summary": "The Wimbledon women's semi-finalists have each navigated personal struggles on grass courts to reach this stage, guaranteeing a first-time champion at SW19 on Saturday.",
  "content": "Coco Gauff stands as the sole Wimbledon women's semi-finalist who has previously captured a Grand Slam singles crown. By her own admission, Gauff has historically struggled to cultivate a positive relationship with grass courts. Similarly, Marta Kostyuk, another player remaining in the final four, has described her connection with the surface as a complicated one.\n\nThe Czech duo of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova, who face Gauff and Kostyuk respectively in Thursday's semi-final matchups, have also faced their fair share of hurdles on the surface. Nevertheless, everything has aligned for these semi-finalists over the past two weeks, ensuring that the crown at SW19 will be claimed by a first-time Wimbledon women's champion this Saturday. Tracy Austin, a former world number one from the United States, remarked that while Gauff is the only major champion in the group, she is hesitant to label her as the clear favorite. Austin noted that it will be fascinating to observe how all four players handle the pressure with so much at stake.\n\nGauff’s biomechanical adjustments\nAt 22, Gauff has already tasted Grand Slam success, winning on the hard courts of the US Open in 2023 and the clay of the French Open in 2025. Yet, she has historically found it difficult to replicate that level of performance on grass. Her career breakthrough famously occurred at Wimbledon in 2019 when, as a 15-year-old, she navigated qualifying and defeated her idol Venus Williams to reach the fourth round. However, in the years following that run, she had not won a single match on grass for two full seasons until this year. While Gauff is an exceptional athlete with remarkable court speed, her footwork can occasionally lack fluidity when setting up baseline shots. Furthermore, her serve has been prone to fragility, often leading to a high count of double faults, while her forehand has been known to falter during high-pressure moments.\n\nTo address these technical issues, Gauff hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan just before the US Open. MacMillan, who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka resolve her serving woes before her own major title wins, has been instrumental in her improvements. Gauff stated that she has really honed in on her game and realized that she does not need to hit a spectacular point every single time to win. She expressed that her current breakthrough is rooted in self-trust, believing her groundstrokes are finally robust enough to compete with anyone on this surface.\n\nMuchova’s return to form\nKarolina Muchova, 29, is competing in her first semi-final at the All England Club, having failed to win a match there since 2021. Over the last six seasons, Muchova has reached the semi-finals at the other three majors, yet she suffered four consecutive first-round exits at Wimbledon. Known for her tactical creativity and variety, her style is well-suited for a surface that rewards craft. A wrist injury kept her sidelined for 10 months last season, and at one point, she was even advised by a doctor to retire from tennis due to the physical toll on her body. Muchova noted that she is now appreciating the privilege of being here, playing without the major physical issues that plagued her past. She added that she is happy to finally be able to showcase her full game.\n\nKostyuk’s turning point\nMarta Kostyuk, 24, emerged as a leading player during the clay-court swing, securing two titles before reaching the French Open semi-finals. She opted to skip tournaments before Wimbledon, choosing instead to return home to Ukraine and enjoy a holiday in Greece. Despite her optimism about transferring her clay-court form to grass, she arrived at this year's championships having not won a match on the surface in two years. Kostyuk reflected that in previous years, she performed poorly at Wimbledon. She felt she could not find her rhythm on the surface at any tournament, making for a truly complicated relationship.\n\nEven upon arriving in London nearly three weeks ago, she remained unconvinced. Losing practice sets against Serena Williams and Jessica Pegula failed to boost her confidence, but the words of her coach, Sandra Zaniewska, provided the necessary shift. Kostyuk asked her coach for an honest assessment of whether grass suited her game, and Zaniewska replied with absolute certainty. Kostyuk credited that assurance as something vital to hold onto during her campaign.\n\nNoskova’s breakthrough consistency\nLinda Noskova has long been considered a future star capable of challenging for Grand Slam titles. She was a highly-rated junior who became the youngest player in the top 100 in 2022. While her run to the Australian Open quarter-finals in 2024 highlighted her potential, consistent results at the majors have been infrequent. Tracy Austin pointed out that at only 21, Noskova has largely flown under the radar because she had not gone deep into majors until now. Austin observed that while her record has been streaky, she is now demonstrating real consistency, which is a natural part of growing up. Noskova reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year and paved the way for this year's success by winning the title in Berlin. She mentioned that she began feeling comfortable on grass last year and has been looking forward to this season ever since, noting that feeling comfortable on the court makes a world of difference.\n\nWhat this means for you\nAcross India: These Wimbledon semi-final matches offer a fresh experience for Indian tennis fans, as none of the remaining players were previously considered grass-court specialists.\n\nFor tennis fans: The tournament demonstrates that despite long struggles on a specific surface, the right coaching adjustments and self-belief can lead to a breakthrough success.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who are the women's semi-finalists at this year's Wimbledon?\nThe semi-finalists are Coco Gauff, Marta Kostyuk, Karolina Muchova, and Linda Noskova.\n\n2. Has Coco Gauff won Wimbledon before?\nNo, Coco Gauff has not won Wimbledon; her previous major titles were at the US Open and the French Open.\n\n3. Which players struggled with playing on grass previously?\nCoco Gauff, Marta Kostyuk, Karolina Muchova, and Linda Noskova have all encountered significant difficulties on grass courts in the past.\n\n4. Who helped Coco Gauff improve her serving issues?\nCoco Gauff hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to help resolve her serving problems.\n\nInspiration & Lessons\nLessons for Success:\n\n• Seek technical expertise: Coco Gauff addressed her serving struggles by hiring a biomechanics expert, which proved to be a fundamental turning point in her performance.\n• Shift your mindset: Letting go of the pressure to hit a spectacular point every time and focusing instead on steady winning helped Karolina Muchova improve her consistency.\n• Value mental support: For Marta Kostyuk, the unwavering belief and honest affirmation from her coach served as the mental anchor she needed to excel.\n• Patience and maturity: Linda Noskova’s journey illustrates that breaking through at the highest level requires patience and the natural growth that comes with time.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/tennis/how-wimbledon-semi-finalists-have-found-their-feet-on-grass-6108",
  "category": "Tennis",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-09",
  "tags": [
    "Wimbledon",
    "Tennis",
    "Semi-finals",
    "Women's tennis",
    "Coco Gauff",
    "Marta Kostyuk"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}