Karolina Muchova Wins WTA Shot of the Year
Karolina Muchova may not have claimed any silverware in 2025, but she has emerged victorious in a different arena by winning the WTA Shot of the Year award. The highlight of her year came during the Dubai Tennis Championships, where Muchova produced an extraordinary tweener lob against Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
Memorable Match Highlights
This jaw-dropping shot occurred in the semifinals, specifically during the fifth game of the second set, as she maneuvered through a challenging rally to outplay Tauson. In that match, a serve to the sidelines forced Tauson to make a hasty play, resulting in a shot that was short at the net. With quick reflexes, the Czech player raced to the ball, resulting in a spectacular lob hit between her legs while on the move in the opposite direction.
“Though Muchova ultimately lost the match after a hard-fought three-set contest, her remarkable shot garnered widespread acclaim, earning 32 percent support in the WTA’s official voting.”
Other Notable Shots
Following closely in the poll was Elena Rybakina, who scored 22 percent of the votes for a stunning cross-court forehand pass against Jessica Pegula in the semifinals of the WTA Finals. Jasmine Paolini showcased her skills with a line drive forehand in the Cincinnati Open final against Iga Swiatek, receiving 10 percent of the votes for the third-best shot.
Fourth place went to Ons Jabeur, whose backhand volley at the Brisbane International was recognized with 9 percent of the votes, while Taylor Townsend matched her for another strong shot at Indian Wells, also clocking in with 9 percent. In a notable performance, Muchova secured the fifth spot for a cross-court backhand winner in Tokyo alongside Aryna Sabalenka, who submitted a powerful forehand at the Italian Open, both earning a share of 7 percent.
The youngest nominee, Linda Noskova, rounded out the standings with a forehand winner down the line that captured 4 percent of the vote.
Muchova’s Challenging Season
Reflecting on Muchova’s season, it was a challenging one as she capped off last year with a retirement at the Ningbo Open due to a back injury in the semifinals against Mirra Andreeva. Kicking off 2025 at the United Cup, she helped her team reach the semifinals but was defeated by the USA. Her Australian Open campaign ended in the second round, but she rebounded with consecutive semifinal appearances in Linz and Dubai.
Unfortunately, the French Open and Wimbledon saw her exit in the first round against unseeded players. However, she found her footing again at the US Open, where she achieved notable victories over Venus Williams, Sorana Cirstea, Linda Noskova, and Marta Kostyuk before succumbing to Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals. Muchova’s season concluded with a quarterfinal loss to Belinda Bencic at the Japan Open.
