SHENZHEN, China (AP) — In July they played each other in the Wimbledon final. Now, Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova have teamed together to win the Billie Jean King Cup for Czechia.
The sixth-ranked Noskova and the eighth-ranked Muchova each won their singles matches Sunday as Czechia beat Ukraine 2-0 in the final of the women’s tennis team event.
Noskova sealed it by beating the seventh-ranked Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6 (5) after Muchova beat 47th-ranked Anhelina Kalinina 6-2, 6-3.
“We just have the vibe in the locker room,” Muchova said.
On Noskova’s third match point, she hit a big serve and a big forehand that Svitolina could barely get her racket on. Then Noskova dropped on her back as Czech captain Barbora Strycova ran out to celebrate with her.
Noskova served 10 aces to Svitolina’s six.
Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, earned its 12th title in the competition previously called the Fed Cup — and first since 2018. Only the United States, which did not qualify for the finals, has won more with a record 18 titles.
Strycova became the fourth woman to win the competition as both a player and a captain, joining Margaret Court, Chris Evert and event namesake Billie Jean King.
Strycova won six titles with Czechia as a player before assuming the captaincy this year.
Czechia also shut out Britain in the quarterfinals and Spain in the semifinals — meaning that its top-ranked doubles standout Katerina Siniakova never even had to play this week.
“I’m really glad that we didn’t ever have to go into doubles, the deciding match, which is always the most stressful one,” Noskova said.
In this year’s all-Czech Wimbledon final, Noskova beat Muchova for her first Grand Slam title.
Ukraine eliminated two-time defending champion Italy in the semifinals and was playing its first final.
Ukraine was without 10th-ranked Marta Kostyuk due to a right wrist injury.
