With Muchova in Bloom, 2024 is the New 1924

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday September 3, 2024

New York—Tennis is about feeling for Karolina Muchova.

Because the 28-year-old Czech works her method again to kind after lacking 9 months as a result of wrist surgical procedure, it’s feeling fairly good.

Muchova made it back-to-back quarterfinals on the US Open by defeating one of the in-form gamers on tour on Monday in New York. She took out Jasmine Paolini, 6-3, 6-3, and can face Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia for a shot at her second US Open semifinal on Wednesday.

She’s finished it by taking part in her throwback tennis, replete with internet forays, aesthetically pleasing volleys, and – in case you missed it – probably the most unimaginable shot of the US Open: a behind-the-back sizzling shot that went viral throughout week one.

It’s uncommon on this period of physicality and baseline grinders to see a participant tout such an inventive model on court docket, however Muchova pulls it off, and wins followers as she does it.

“I am a fan of her,” Paolini stated earlier than dealing with her on Monday. “She’s taking part in unbelievable. I actually love how she performs. She will be able to play each shot, slice, volleys, serve and volleys. She’s a really full participant, I feel, very robust opponent.”

Paolini in all probability wasn’t such a giant fan after she was defused by the swish Czech in Louis Armstrong Stadium on Day 8, however such is life.

“Muchova is like one among my favourite gamers to look at,” stated Andy Roddick on his Served Podcast on Monday. “I don’t understand how she hasn’t been nice for like ten years. Everytime I watch her I’m like: she is legit good, like actually, actually, good.”

“She could be one of many Prime 5 most athletic gamers,” his co-host Jon Wertheim replied.

Listening to the Tennis Podcast this week on the 7 practice into Flushing Meadows, I heard Matt Roberts examine Muchova to Suzanne Lenglen and thought to myself: YES! All the pieces however the ankle-length costume and the courtside brandy is there.

There’s a uncommon class to Muchova’s tennis, an artistry, a aptitude.

Muchova says she has to play that method, it’s mainly the one method she will abdomen the game. She’s no baseline basher, this artful Czech.

She does all of it with an air of humility. She doesn’t imagine she is rebelliously flying the flag within the identify of freedom. Muchova is simply… Muchova.

“I can not inform if it is distinctive,” she stated of her model of tennis on Monday after taking down Paolini, “however yeah, I similar to to vary it up. I love to do what I do, mainly going to the online and really play a recreation. Have extra enjoyable; not simply grind again and play forehands/backhands.

“It is how I see the sport. It is how I prefer to play it. It is the issues that I prefer to as nicely enhance in practices after which deliver it on the court docket.”

It’s good to see Muchova again, and good to see her having success with a sort of explorative tennis that makes purists rave, however isn’t all the time thought-about probably the most environment friendly – or efficient. It’s robust to do what Muchova does, that’s why no person performs that method anymore.

You strive volleying a dipping, whizzing 100 MPH forehand passing shot after which inform me all tennis gamers ought to go to the online extra.

Credit score to Muchova for not simply pulling it off, however making herself a real risk to win majors whereas doing so.

Earlier than they met within the 2022 Roland-Garros remaining, Iga Swiatek had this to say about Muchova.

“I actually like her recreation, truthfully. I actually respect her, and she or he’s a participant who can do something. She has nice contact; she will additionally pace up the sport. She performs with that sort of…I don’t know…freedom in her actions. And she or he has an incredible method. So I watched her matches and I really feel like I do know her recreation fairly nicely.”

Serve-and-volley, the extinct albatross of the game, is the area of few on tour today. Credit score Muchova for preserving it alive. She has tried the tactic on 14 p.c of her service factors on the US Open, the next share than some other participant of the 256 singles gamers in the primary draw.

And, she’s received 86 p.c of these factors.

Credit score Muchova for making 2024 the brand new 1924 – lengthy dwell the artistry, the texture and the contact.