Karolína Muchová facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Karolína Muchová

Muchová at the 2023 US Open
Country (sports)	Czech Republic
Born	(1996-08-21) 21 August 1996 (age 29) Olomouc, Czech Republic
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	2013
Plays	Right (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Emil Miške (2017–2019, Apr 2023–), Kirsten Flipkens (2023)
Prize money	US$ 9,282,575
Singles
Career record	313–153 (67.17%)
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 8 (11 September 2023)
Current ranking	No. 15 (16 June 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (2021)
French Open	F (2023)
Wimbledon	QF (2019, 2021)
US Open	SF (2023, 2024)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games	1R (2024)
Doubles
Career record	40–34 (54.05%)
Career titles	0 WTA, 1 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 222 (16 August 2021)
Current ranking	No. 532 (9 June 2025)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2020)
French Open	1R (2019)
US Open	2R (2019)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	SF (2024)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	3–2

Karolína Muchová (born 21 August 1996) is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. She reached her highest singles ranking of world No. 8 on 11 September 2023. Muchová has won one WTA Tour title at the 2019 Korea Open. She also played in a major final at the 2023 French Open.

Muchová became a professional player in 2013. She first gained attention at the 2018 US Open. There, she defeated world No. 12 and two-time major champion, Garbiñe Muguruza. In 2019, Muchová reached her first major quarterfinal at Wimbledon. She upset world No. 3, Karolína Plíšková, in that tournament. At the 2021 Australian Open, she made it to the semifinals. She achieved this by defeating world No. 1, Ashleigh Barty. In 2023, she played in her first major final at the French Open. She beat world No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, in a tough semifinal match. She finished as the runner-up to the defending champion and world No. 1, Iga Świątek.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Karolína Muchová was born in August 1996 in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Her father, Josef Mucha, was a former Czech footballer. He introduced her to tennis when she was seven years old. She also has a brother, and they played many sports together as children.

Since tennis courts were close to her home, she decided to try tennis. When she was about 12, she chose tennis over handball. In 2019, she moved to Prague to train at the I. ČLTK Prague. She has said that her tennis hero growing up was Roger Federer. She faced many injuries during her junior years.

Karolína Muchová's Tennis Journey

Starting Her Professional Career (2013–2018)

Muchová at the 2018 US Open

Muchová started playing on the ITF Women's Circuit in October 2013. She was 17 years old at the time. Her first tournament was in Dubrovnik, where she reached the second round. In July 2014, she won her first ITF title in Michalovce, Slovakia.

She then had some quieter years until March 2016. That month, she won her second singles title in Sharm El Sheikh. Two weeks later, she won another event at the same place. In July 2017, she reached the final of the ITS Cup in Olomouc. She lost to her countrymate Markéta Vondroušová.

Muchová made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the 2017 Korea Open. She won three qualifying matches to get into the main draw. She then lost in the first round to Priscilla Hon. She made her first main-draw appearance at a major event at the 2018 US Open. She won three qualifying matches to get there. After winning her first match against Dayana Yastremska, Muchová surprised Garbiñe Muguruza. Muguruza was a two-time Grand Slam champion and the 12th seed. This was Muchová's first win against a top-20 player. She reached the third round but then lost to Ashleigh Barty.

First Title and Wimbledon Quarterfinal (2019)

Muchová at Wimbledon, 2019

Muchová started 2019 with a first-round loss at the Australian Open. She lost to Karolína Plíšková. At the Qatar Ladies Open, she reached her first WTA Tour quarterfinal. She beat Samantha Stosur and Hsieh Su-wei. However, she then lost to the fourth seed, Elina Svitolina.

At the Miami Open, she played in her first Premier Mandatory level tournament. She was eliminated in the second round by Angelique Kerber. Her first Tour-level final was at the Prague Open. She lost to Jil Teichmann. This performance helped her enter the top 100 of the WTA rankings for the first time.

In June, she beat Anett Kontaveit to reach the second round of the French Open. She then lost to Irina-Camelia Begu. In July, she reached the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships. She beat third seed Karolína Plíšková in a long match that lasted over three hours. She became the first player since Li Na in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals in her Wimbledon debut. In the quarterfinal, Muchová lost to Elina Svitolina.

She then reached the quarterfinal at the Bronx Open. She also made it to the third round of the US Open. There, she was beaten by Serena Williams. Her first WTA Tour title came at the 2019 Korea Open. She defeated Magda Linette in the final. Muchová continued to play well, reaching the semifinals of the Premier-level Kremlin Cup. She lost to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

At the end of the year, she played in the WTA Elite Trophy for the first time. She won her group matches, beating Sofia Kenin and Alison Riske. She then lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinal. She finished the year as world No. 21.

Mixed Results and US Open Fourth Round (2020)

In 2020, Muchová had mixed results. She reached the second round of the Australian Open for the first time. She lost to CiCi Bellis. She then played at the Qatar Ladies Open. She won her first match against Magda Linette but lost to seventh seed Kiki Bertens in the second round.

After the WTA Tour was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she played at the Cincinnati Open. She beat Ann Li in the first round before losing to Naomi Osaka. Her best performance of the season was at the US Open. She beat Venus Williams, Anna Kalinskaya, and Sorana Cîrstea. This helped her reach the fourth round for the first time. She then lost to Victoria Azarenka. By the end of the year, Muchová only reached the first round of the French Open. She also made it to the second round of the Ostrava Open. She stayed in the top 30 for the entire year.

Australian Open Semifinal and Top 20 Ranking (2021)

Muchová reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. She defeated world No. 1, Ashleigh Barty. However, she lost to Jennifer Brady in three sets. After reaching the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, she achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 19 on 17 May 2021. This was her first time reaching the WTA 1000 level quarterfinals. She beat second seed Naomi Osaka and 16th seed Maria Sakkari there.

Two weeks later in June, her good form continued. She reached the third round of the French Open for the first time. Seeded 19th at Wimbledon, she reached the quarterfinals for the second time. She defeated 30th seed Paula Badosa. Muchová was only the third woman in Wimbledon history to reach the quarterfinals in her first two appearances (2019 and 2021). The 22nd seeded Muchová lost in the first round of the US Open. She was defeated by Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Injuries and French Open Third Round (2022)

Muchová did not play at the Australian Open due to an injury. Because of this, her ranking dropped out of the top 50. Muchová returned to play in Miami as an unseeded player. In the first round, she defeated fellow Czech Tereza Martincová. She then beat 18th seed Leylah Fernandez. However, she had to withdraw from her third-round match against Naomi Osaka.

In Madrid, she used a protected ranking. She defeated Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen. She then lost to 11th seed Belinda Bencic. Ranked No. 81 at the French Open, her performance improved a lot. She reached the third round. She defeated fourth seed and 2021 semifinalist Maria Sakkari in the second round. This was her biggest win and her fourth top-5 win. She retired in her next match against Amanda Anisimova due to several injuries. Despite playing better, she finished the year outside the top 100, at world No. 149.

French Open Final and World No. 8 (2023)

Using her protected ranking, Muchová returned to the Australian Open. She made it to the second round. She also reached the quarterfinals at Dubai. She defeated eighth seed Belinda Bencic, which was her seventh top 10 career win. She withdrew from her quarterfinal match. She returned to the top 100 on 27 February 2023. Still using a protected ranking in Indian Wells, she reached the fourth round. She defeated Yulia Putintseva, 14th seed Victoria Azarenka, and 23rd seed Martina Trevisan. Next, she beat Markéta Vondroušová to reach her third quarterfinal of the season. This was her second at the WTA 1000 level since Dubai. As a result, she moved up 20 spots in the rankings.

Ranked No. 43 at the French Open, she defeated world No. 8, Maria Sakkari, in the first round. This was her second win against Sakkari at this major and her eighth top-10 win overall. She beat Nadia Podoroska, Irina-Camelia Begu, and Elina Avanesyan. This helped her reach the quarterfinals for the first time. She then defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her second Grand Slam semifinal. This was her first at Roland Garros. She then upset world No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, in a three-set match that lasted over three hours. She saved a match point and came back from being 2–5 down in the final set. This win sent her to her first Grand Slam final. She was the fourth-lowest-ranked woman to reach the French Open final. She also became the fifth Czech player to reach the final at Roland Garros in the Open Era. In the final, she lost to world No. 1 and defending champion, Iga Świątek, in three sets. As a result, she reached a new career-high ranking of No. 16 on 12 June 2023.

In Cincinnati, she reached her first WTA 1000 final. She lost to sixth seed Coco Gauff in two sets. After this, she reached a career-high ranking of No. 10. At the US Open, Muchová played very well again. She reached the semifinals of the tournament for the first time. This was her second major semifinal of the season. She won her first three rounds in straight sets. She defeated Storm Hunter, Magdalena Fręch, and Taylor Townsend. She then beat Wang Xinyu in three sets in the fourth round. She quickly defeated Sorana Cîrstea in her quarterfinal match, losing only three games. In the semifinals, she lost to Coco Gauff for the second time in a month. This was her last match of the season. Despite the loss, Muchová reached a career-high ranking of world No. 8 on 11 September 2023.

Muchová qualified for the end-of-season WTA Finals for the first time. However, she had to withdraw from the tournament due to a right wrist injury. She suffered this injury at the US Open.

Wrist Surgery and US Open Semifinal (2024)

Muchová withdrew from the Australian Open. In February 2024, she had surgery. This made her miss tournaments in the Middle East and the USA. She returned to the WTA Tour in June at the Eastbourne International. There, she won her first match against Magda Linette. However, she withdrew from the next round due to slight stiffness in her wrist. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round to Paula Badosa. In Palermo, Muchová entered as a wildcard. She defeated Irina-Camelia Begu to reach her first final since August 2023. In the final, she lost in three sets to defending champion Zheng Qinwen.

Karolína Muchová at the 2024 US Open

At the US Open, Muchová reached the semifinals for the second year in a row. She did not lose a set on her way there. She defeated Katie Volynets, Naomi Osaka, Anastasia Potapova, fifth seed Jasmine Paolini, and 22nd seed Beatriz Haddad Maia. She lost in the semifinals to sixth seed Jessica Pegula in three sets.

At the China Open, she reached her sixth WTA Tour final. She defeated Anna Blinkova, 30th seed Yuan Yue, Jaqueline Cristian, Cristina Bucșa, top seed and world No. 2, Aryna Sabalenka, and fifth seed Zheng Qinwen. In the final, she lost to Coco Gauff. Muchová continued her good form at the Ningbo Open. She overcame qualifier Olivia Gadecki, Jacqeline Cristian, and seventh seed Anna Kalinskaya to reach the semifinals. She retired due to injury after losing the first set to Mirra Andreeva.

Recent Matches and Czech No. 1 (2025)

As the top seed at the Linz Open, Muchová had a bye in the first round. She then defeated qualifier Sara Sorribes Tormo and sixth seed Anastasia Potapova. This brought her to the semifinals, where she lost to fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

At the Dubai Championships, she defeated Suzan Lamens, Emma Raducanu, McCartney Kessler, and Sorana Cirstea. This was her ninth straight quarterfinal win at a tour-level event. She reached her second semifinal of the season. With this win, Muchová had won her last 10 quarterfinals played. This streak started at Indian Wells in 2023. She lost in the semifinals to Clara Tauson. Muchová became the top-ranked Czech player, taking over from Barbora Krejčíková.

Playing Style and Coaches

Muchová hitting a forehand

Muchová is an aggressive player who uses the whole court. She has a smart game with many different shots. She hits powerful shots from both her forehand and backhand sides. She can hit winners from anywhere on the court. People have praised her for using softer shots like drop shots, lobs, and sliced backhands. She often changes the speed of rallies. She can even hit winners with these shots, which are usually for defense.

She has a strong serve. Her first serve can reach 110 mph (177 km/h) and averages 103 mph (166 km/h). This allows her to serve aces often. Her second serve averages 83 mph (134 km/h) but has a lot of topspin. This makes it hard for opponents to attack. Muchová is also good at defending her second serve. Her quick footwork and ability to guess where the ball will go make her one of the best return players. She is very fit, so she can play long rallies. She is also good at hitting the ball back when her opponent attacks.

Because she has played doubles, Muchová is strong at the net. She is one of the best volleyers on tour. She often comes to the net to finish points. In 2019, Mats Wilander praised her playing style. He said she could "achieve great things." Some commentators have compared her style and grace to Justine Henin and Roger Federer.

Muchová has had several coaches: Emil Miške (2017–2019, April 2023–), David Kotyza (2020–August 2022), Jan Blecha (September 2022–April 2023), and Kirsten Flipkens (2023–2025).

Sponsors

Muchová is sponsored by Adidas for her clothing. She uses Head rackets.

Career Highlights

Grand Slam Singles Results

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 1 (Runner-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2023	French Open	Clay	Iga Świątek	2–6, 7–5, 4–6

Olympic Medal Matches

Doubles: 1 (4th Place)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
4th place	2024	Paris Olympics	Clay	Linda Nosková	Cristina Bucșa Sara Sorribes Tormo	2–6, 2–6

See also

In Spanish: Karolína Muchová para niños