Noskova aims to emulate Kvitova after reaching first Wimbledon semi

Linda Noskova wants to emulate childhood hero Petra Kvitova after the Czech ninth seed reached her first Wimbledon semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5 win against Belgium's Elise Mertens on Wednesday.

Noskova dominated from start to finish in a last-eight clash lasting one hour and 50 minutes in searing temperatures on Court One.

The 21-year-old faces Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk in Thursday's semi-finals.

In only her second Grand Slam quarter-final, following her run at the 2024 Australian Open, Noskova sealed a place in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time.

She is the youngest first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist at Wimbledon since her fellow Czech Kvitova in 2010.

Kvitova went on to win Wimbledon in 2011 and also lifted the trophy in 2014 before retiring last year.

"When Petra won two Wimbledons, I was definitely the one that noticed that. Maybe she helped me to get into tennis a little bit. For me, she's such a person to look up to," Noskova said.

"I would love to follow her in her footsteps. If the outcome's going to be the same, I would love nothing more."

Kvitova's bubbly personality and big-hitting style made her easy for Noskova to admire as she began to fall in love with tennis.

"We had two matches against each other, actually. Both of those, I was just kind of stunned that I was on the same court with Petra Kvitova," she said.

"As a kid, I was always looking up to her. When I didn't really know much about tennis, she was the face of Czech tennis."

In the lead up to Wimbledon, Noskova won the Berlin Open, her first grass-court title.

She has taken that impressive form into the All England Club, dispatching former Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last 16 before brushing aside Mertens.

Having reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year, Noskova is now just one win away from her maiden Grand Slam final.

"The feelings are incredible, like never before. This is what I am playing tennis for, these big stages and big matches," she said.

"I was a little bit nervous before the match, I am not going to lie. When I am putting pressure on myself that is usually when I play my best. I really enjoyed this match."

Mertens, 30, had been hoping to make the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time, but the 25th seed bowed out after a strong run featuring a win over second seed Elena Rybakina.

smg/jc

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