Another blistering test for gutsy Czech, but this time Muchova wilts

NO medical timeout saved Karolina Muchova this time.

A day after she toppled local hope Ash Barty with a matchchanging physio break, Muchova’s Australian Open came to an end in a thrilling semifinal at the hands of American warrior Jennifer Brady.

The 22nd seed had two cracks at celebrating the win, the first time prematurely when she fell to her knees on her second match point, only to see on the big screen her shot had sailed 7mm long.

Pushed to the limit in the third set by a fearless Muchova, who saved four match points in a 13-minute last game, Brady was finally able to celebrate, taking the win on her fifth chance.

“I can’t feel my legs. My legs are shaking, my heart is racing,” Brady said afterwards.

As she did against Barty, before taking a pivotal 10minute delay, Muchova dropped the first set.

But on Thursday, in warmer conditions than the day before, she staged a gutsy comeback to force the match to a gripping deciding set.

From the end of the first set, the Czech’s power game came to the fore, but Brady’s superior serve proved the difference.

“After the first set I was, ‘OK, let’s try and focus here’,” Brady said, respecting her opponent’s stamina.

“I don’t know, I was feeling a little strange today. Was super excited, but at the same time pretty flat-footed.

“My legs felt fresh, but I felt like I was stuck in mud. I didn’t really pick up, you know, my intensity, till beginning of the third set.”

In the final set Muchova blinked first, broken in the third game as Brady defied the quarantine curse to surge into Saturday’s final, where she faces third seed Naomi Osaka.

Brady is the last remaining player – in either singles draw – who endured the strict twoweek lockdown upon arrival in Australia.

In lockdown, Brady and coach Michael Geserer had only one rule: no complaints, no excuses.

“Obviously she’s (Osaka) won a few grand slams,” Brady said. “We had a tough match in the US Open and semi-finals.

“She even said it was one of her top two matches, which is a little unfortunate for me at the time, but I think it will be a really good match.”