Linda Noskova's Wimbledon title has the tennis world buzzing about her ceiling, and Rennae Stubbs, the six-time Grand Slam doubles champion who currently coaches Serena Williams, has weighed in with a candid assessment. The verdict: a top ranking is absolutely possible, but only if the Czech star sharpens one significant weak spot.
Noskova, just 21 years old, lifted her first Grand Slam trophy earlier this month after defeating compatriot Karolina Muchova in three gripping sets at Wimbledon. The victory pushed her to a career-high ranking of seventh, though she still sits more than 3,500 points behind world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
The serving numbers are a mixed bag. Noskova ranks second on tour in aces this season with 289, trailing only Elena Rybakina, and sits third for percentage of service points won at 63.6 percent. Her first-serve winning percentage of 73.6 percent places her fourth on tour. However, her second serve tells a very different story. She ranks a worrying 38th for second-serve points won at 48.8 percent, and her double fault count places her among the worst on tour.
Stubbs pointed directly at that second serve on her podcast, noting that while Noskova is physically strong and capable of big hitting, the delivery remains vulnerable under pressure. She also referenced Noskova's coach Melanie Molitor, the mother of Martina Hingis, as someone who builds elite groundstrokes but has not historically developed elite serves.
Stubbs stopped short of predicting an immediate No. 1 ranking, suggesting top three is a more realistic near-term target, while stressing that consistent improvement on that second serve could ultimately unlock the top spot.
TennisDraw users had Noskova as a breakout pick throughout the Wimbledon draw, and her trajectory suggests that confidence was well placed.
