'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Karolina Muchova put on a stellar show to reach her first Grand Slam final at the 2023 French Open, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the deciding set against World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday.
The win was particularly significant for the Czech player, who is still on the comeback trail from a slew of injuries that derailed her rise last year.
Reflecting on the difficult period in her post-match press conference, Muchova said she has had many tough moments over the course of her career. She also said that some doctors had even told her she may never play tennis again.
"Well, there has been many moments, many lows, I would say, from one injury to another," Karolina Muchova said. "For sure when I missed Australian Open last year, and I was in a pretty bad state healthy-wise, I was working out a lot to try to get back."
"You never know," she continued. "Some doctors told me, you know, maybe you'll not do sport anymore. But I always kept it kind of positive in my mind and tried to work and do all the exercises to be able to come back."
Addressing last year's events, Muchova said she had decided to play lower-rung tournaments after her ranking dropped. The 26-year-old expressed happiness at being able to play at the highest level again at the French Open, after all the "up-and-downs".
"Obviously, as well last year, when my ranking dropped and I was thinking, you know, to play some small tournaments, and I did, I tried it, and there I didn't really feel so great," Karolina Muchova said. "I wanted to feel like motivated to play to get back, but I couldn't somehow."
"So I knew for this year I had few more special rankings left," she added. "You know, I played great in Dubai, I did great in Indian Wells, I was feeling pretty fine healthy-wise. It's up-and-downs in life all the time. Now I'm enjoying that I'm on the upper part now."
Karolina Muchova to take on Iga Swiatek in 2023 French Open final
Karolina Muchova's dream run at the French Open has been marked by a few big victories, including those over Sabalenka, former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and eighth-seed Maria Sakkari.
Muchova's all-court game has come alive on the red dirt in Paris. The only sets she has dropped over the fortnight have been against Sabalenka and Nadia Podoroska.
The biggest challenge, however, awaits Muchova in the summit clash in the form of two-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek. The Pole reached the finals with a win over Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second semifinal.
