A 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 topsy-turvy victory saw Jennifer Brady claim her maiden Grand Slam final today as she overcame plucky Czech Karolina Muchova on Rod Laver Arena.
Brady produced 20 winners against 38 errors and broke Muchova three times on her way to victory, saying after the match: “I can’t feel my legs. My legs are shaking and my heart is racing.”
The American brought up two match points at 5-4 in the deciding set and looked to be in control but dropped to her knees on the second one thinking she had won.
The shot was called out.
Muchova had three break points but then made three errors and Brady finally clinched it when Muchova drove a shot too long.
“I was feeling a little strange today. I was super excited but at the same time I was pretty flat-footed. I felt like I was stuck in mud. I didn’t really pick up my intensity until the beginning of the third set,” Brady said.
“I’m obviously pretty excited to be in the finals. It’s an incredible achievement but I think it will be a really tough match, obviously she’s (Osaka) won a few grand slams, we had a tough match at the US Open in the semi-finals. She even said it was one of her top-two matches, which was a little unfortunate for me.”
Earlier Muchova staged a second set comeback but the third belonged to Brady. Muchova lost her serve and her game slowly disintegrated.
Seeded 22, Brady is the seventh woman to make her maiden slam final in the past nine tournaments, such is the nature of women’s tennis currently.
She won her first WTA title at Lexington last year and made her slam debut in 2017.
