THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 6, 2026

Linda Noskova

Press Conference

L. NOSKOVA/M. Keys

6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Linda, through to the quarterfinals. Feeling good? Tell us about the match.

LINDA NOSKOVA: Yes, feeling good. Obviously getting to such a stage in this tournament is always a great achievement, especially when I feel great on court. I feel like I'm using all my game that I know and want to use on the grass, which have been working out for me for some weeks now.

I'm glad that I keep going.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does the history of Czech female success play into your thinking here, your confidence, having seen so many people from your country do so well here, women specifically?

LINDA NOSKOVA: Yeah, I do have it in the back of my mind, but it's not something that I am focusing on, that I want to be just like them or want to kind of keep going in the history.

Obviously it would be such an achievement for our country, for our small country. But I'm trying to focus on myself. Just getting here and getting to Grand Slam, getting to Wimbledon is an achievement, so we cannot forget that.

Q. When you were a young player, when did you become aware of the Navratilovas, Jana Novotnas?

LINDA NOSKOVA: Yeah, definitely. I feel like maybe, well, when I was a kid, I didn't watch that much tennis or didn't know that much about tennis history, especially in Czech. Maybe as I became a teenager I watched Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pliskova, and all the other great Czech players. Barbora Strycova, now our captain.

It's something incredible just to go down the history and see all these amazing players or to speak with them, because I feel like I'm always just like a little kid seeing the celebrities or seeing someone that I looked up to. It's always nice to look at that.

Q. Have you always expected from yourself to reach this stage at Grand Slam quarterfinals, thinking about winning? Is it something you always knew and believed or is it something you're learning to believe?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I think that you do have to believe in yourself at some point or at some stage that you can do it, that you can play against these big players and win these matches, or be in the tough moments and win those moments. The confidence does have to come from somewhere.

But for me, as I always like to say, I do not focus on the results or the rankings or the achievements. I always try to have a good time on court. I always want to improve as a player. This is where it got me. It never really has been my goal to win this or win that.

Q. What are your thoughts on going further here? You've been winning Berlin, very tough field at that tournament. Do you look around who's left and think, Yeah, can I beat all these people?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I have not looked at the draw once.

Q. Anybody, basically, that you feel like you can beat anybody?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I feel like anybody can beat anybody. It's very open. It's a Grand Slam. Everybody wants to have the best result in their career. Everybody wants to win it. It is very competitive.

I cannot just win a few matches and be the most confident in the locker room.

Q. If you weren't watching tennis when you were a kid, what were you into? I read somewhere you were a wrestling fan.

LINDA NOSKOVA: I don't think that would be on the top of my list of what I did as a kid (smiling).

I had a lot of hobbies. I did school. I did middle school. I had, like, maybe six, seven, eight hobbies that I was focusing on. It was never mainly tennis.

I had all the gymnastics, all the horse riding, just all the sports in the world 'cause my parents were very into any sort of movement.

They don't think, or I think that they never expected me to be here. Neither did I. It was never our goal, exactly. I just picked a sport, and that's where it got me. I'm glad I picked tennis.

Q. What was your favorite, if not tennis, when you were little?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I have always enjoyed track and field. I did some competitions for my school. But I don't think it would have got me such a fulfillment as tennis does.

Q. Your septum piercing, how long have you had that?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I had it on and off now. I did have it since the beginning of January. I had it in Australia, Middle East, then I took it out for clay season. I just wanted to be careful. Now it's back.

I feel like it's bringing me some good luck. Yeah, it doesn't bother me. It's cool. I like it off court. Why not?

Q. Does clay dust make it tougher to have a piercing like that?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I thought so. That's why I took it out. But the clay season was good anyway, so it may not be because of the piercing.

Q. Were there any times where you were like, Wow, why did I choose tennis? If so, when were the tougher times?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I feel like those times are after every loss. In this stage, you take everything very personally or you want to have the best results at every tournament, but it's not possible. You want to win every tournament, but it's almost not possible either.

It's a tough decision sometimes if you want to just go forward or you sometimes get stuck in a moment where you really don't want to be.

I've had some tough moments. A lot of times it was because of the stuff that happened off court that made it really hard for me on court. I just had to deal with my personal life first, and then it was much easier on court.

Q. Your next opponent, Elise Mertens. I don't think you've played her before. What do you think that will be like?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I don't know her much. I obviously know her game style. She's trying to be as aggressive as possible. So am I. I don't think there will be many rallies or slow games. I'll have to use what I do the best.

We've never even played a practice before. Sometimes it's good just to go there with a clear head.

Q. Is there part of your game that you feel has improved so much that explains your result here?

LINDA NOSKOVA: I think that I feel good off court. I'm having a lot of fun off court. I am having a blast on court (smiling).

No, I was looking forward for grass season. I feel like last year it was the year that it actually clicked for me. It's great to be back at Wimbledon. I always treasure these moments.

I had a great start in Berlin. I feel like I kind of got into a momentum that I do not want to lose.