'The whole match was the tie-break' - how Muchova-Gauff semi-final unfolded

ByEmily Salley

BBC Sport journalist at Wimbledon

Twenty-two points. Eighteen minutes. Three match points. One winner.

After battling it out for three gripping sets, it only felt right that Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff's Wimbledon semi-final came down to a tie-break.

But few could have expected the twists and turns that would follow.

From Muchova's diving volley to Gauff's squandered match point, it had it all.

"Honestly, during that tie-break, it was like a rollercoaster emotionally for me," said Muchova.

At the end, it was the Czech who stood with her arms aloft after reaching her first final at SW19.

"This is what you want from a Grand Slam semi-final," said Annabel Croft.

"It was just incredible drama and it lived up to all expectations.

"We saw spectacular winners and a real rollercoaster ride of emotion."

"You can just watch the tie-break," said nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova. "The whole match was the tie-break, right?"

So just how exactly did such a dramatic tie-break unfold?

Muchova 4-1 Gauff

In a nervy start to the tie-break, Gauff shanked a second-serve return wide before snatching a backhand volley into the net.

Despite appearing to be in pain and gesturing towards her side, Muchova remained composed, crouching to lift over an incredible volley winner and catching Gauff out with a 113mph serve to open up a 4-1 lead.

"Whatever she is feeling - ab, stitch, rib, who knows - Muchova is digging deep here," former British number one Anne Keothavong said.

Muchova 6-3 Gauff

A resilient Gauff begins to claw her way back, but Muchova halts the American's momentum with a sensational diving volley.

With a cross-court forehand from Gauff threatening to fizz straight past her, the Czech player stretched out, leapt into the air and put away the volley winner before falling face down on the grass.

"A diving volley! How has she managed that? The crowd are seeing everything in here," former British player Naomi Cavaday said.

Muchova then pulled further ahead with a 114mph ace down the T.

Muchova 6-6 Gauff

Slowly but surely, Gauff worked her way back. A cross-court pass followed by a down-the-line winner before a Muchova strike took an unfortunate clip off the net cord to float wide.

"This is just getting better and better," said former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli.

Tracy Austin, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon in 1979, added: "Great movement from Coco Gauff. To me she looks just as fit as she was at the start of the match. Muchova looking a little fatigued."

Muchova 8-8 Gauff

After exchanging points, Gauff - the player with the most double faults on the WTA Tour this season - suffered a lapse of concentration and landed just her second double fault of the match.

"This tie-break could come down to a moment - and maybe that was it," Cavaday said.

Spoiler alert. While untimely, the tie-break did not, in fact, come down to Gauff's double fault.

An unforced error by Muchova followed and the players were level once again.

"I can barely breathe, that's how stressed I am. So nervy from both players," Bartoli said.

Muchova 9-9 Gauff

After receiving a warning for a time violation, a frustrated Muchova lofted a backhand beyond the baseline and gifted Gauff the first match point.

There were anguished gasps from the crowd as Gauff, in total control of the point, snatched at a drop shot and sent it sinking into the net.

"Talk about it being on your racquet. That has to be down to the moment for Gauff," said Cavaday.

"It looked unmissable."

Muchova 10-9 Gauff

With Centre Court still reeling from Gauff's scarcely believable miss, the tables turned quickly and Muchova brought up her first match point with a perfectly placed lob that left Gauff stranded at the net.

"That is out of this world! Of all the shots to play, that's quite something," Keothavong said.

Muchova 10-10 Gauff

With a place in the showpiece in sight, an advancing Muchova slipped dramatically and Gauff saved the match point with a cross-court forehand winner.

"She slips! She slips! Coco Gauff hangs in. What an absolute rollercoaster," Cavaday exclaimed.

Bartolli added: "I can't believe that point! It was Karolina Muchova's point all day long."

Muchova 12-10 Gauff

But Muchova dusted herself down to fight again, bringing up her second match point by sending Gauff wide before slamming home an inside-out forehand winner into the corner.

And this time she made no mistake, patiently building the point and finding the corners until Gauff ran out of steam and planted into the net, which allowed Muchova to throw her arms aloft in celebration.

"That was quite the rollercoaster," said Austin.

Muchova's reward for her resilience is a meeting with Linda Noskova in the first all-Czech Grand Slam final.

The pair will take to Centre Court on Saturday (16:00 BST) aiming to clinch the first major singles title of their careers.

"I admired the bravery of Karolina Muchova, she earned the win, she took the bull by the horns and went for it," said Croft.

Gauff, meanwhile, will have to process just how she missed the chance to reach her first grass-court final at the All England Club.

"I just feel so bad for Coco because she kept fighting, fighting, fighting and finally gets to the match point and then didn't get it," Navratilova said.

"Both players played great tennis getting to the tie-break, both players got very nervous at the end and then Muchova got through.

"You wanted both to win at this point, but unbelievable stuff. My heart was racing and I was just sitting here."