2023 Roland Garros finalist Karolina Muchova is set to return to competition next week at the Rothesay International. The 27-year-old Czech has been sidelined with a right wrist injury since the US Open last fall. Muchova revealed her comeback plans in an interview with CANAL+ Sport CZ.
"At the end of this week, I’ll fly to Eastbourne with the team, where we’ll finally try to play some matches in preparation ahead of Wimbledon," Muchova said.
"After Wimbledon I’ll return back to the clay, maybe play a tournament, or straight to the Olympics."
Muchova's standout 2023 season included a run to her first major final at Roland Garros. In Paris, she saved match points against Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals before pushing World No.1 Iga Swiatek to three sets in the final.
Already an Australian Open semifinalist and two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Muchova continued her surge up the rankings last summer. After making her second major semifinal of the season in New York, she reached a new career-high at No.8 on the PIF WTA Rankings.
But a wrist injury plagued her throughout the fall and forced her out of her WTA Finals debut in Cancun. After skipping the start of the 2024 Hologic WTA Tour season in Australia, Muchova underwent surgery in February.
"The operation fixed a loose tendon in the right wrist," Muchova said. "After the operation, I had my arm in a solid splint for six weeks, then two or three weeks in a wrist brace, and then I slowly started with rehabilitation and training."
Muchova posted practice footage on social media in early May.
"My wrist was very stiff," Muchova said. "At the start, I wasn’t even able to hold a fork, so I was asking myself how it would be possible to play a forehand or hold a racquet."
Over time, Muchova regained the strength and dexterity in her hand and wrist and the doubts began to fade.
"I didn’t have that much free time," Muchova said, "because the rehabilitation process takes up much more time than you think, compared to when I train and travel to tournaments. Apart from the first few weeks when my arm was in a splint, I didn’t have much spare time. I went abroad from the Czech Republic one weekend, and to my family in Moravia, but otherwise it was work, morning to evening."
That discipline and effort finally paid off. Muchova is set to make her Olympic debut for the Czech Republic in singles and doubles with reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
"I’m really excited for the Olympics," Muchova said. "I’ve never been to one, and it’s around the corner in Paris, so I can’t be more excited.
"Representing my country is definitely a huge honor. I’ve signed up to play doubles with Maky [Voundrousova], and I hope it goes well for us."
