Czech youngster Linda Noskova recovered from missing five championship points to beat her friend Karolina Muchova and win an extraordinary and dramatic Wimbledon final.

Noskova looked on course for a routine victory when she led 6-2 5-2 - but crumbled with the finishing line in sight as 10th seed Muchova won five games in a row to force a decider.

However, the 21-year-old showed remarkable resilience to reset and finally clinch a 6-2 5-7 6-3 victory.

"It feels incredible. Physically and mentally it has been tough - it is never easy to get the last point," said Noskova.

Speaking to Muchova, she added: "You made it so tough for me. I'm glad I played my first major final with you and I think we made history today."

Noskova paid tribute to her family in her on-court speech afterwards - including her mother, Ivana, who died on the eve of Wimbledon two years ago.

"I want to thank my dad for coming here, for my family flying here - I know you don't like flying so I appreciate it," she said as she teared up.

"There is one more person I'd like to thank. I'd like to thank my mum. I wouldn't be here without her."

Noskova then blew a kiss to sky as the Centre Court crowd gave her a standing ovation.

Noskova's second-set collapse was excruciating to watch for the 15,000-strong crowd on Centre Court, but the way in which she mentally reset in the decider was admirable.

Serving for the title again an hour after her first attempt, Noskova hit an ace to set up a sixth championship point and converted it with a service winner.

Noskova immediately fell to the court as her relief poured out, with 29-year-old Muchova walking around the net to congratulate her Paris 2024 Olympics doubles partner.

"It's really tough to find any words, but I'll start with Linda - my ex-friend," joked Muchova.

"The way you handled it and the way you played was unbelievable. You deserve it."

Noskova hid under her towel towards the end of the second set and did the same again in the moments after securing a testing victory.

The ninth seed is the third Czech champion in the past four years at the All England Club, after victories for compatriots Marketa Vondrousova and Barbora Krejcikova in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Fittingly, Noskova's crowning glory watched by Czech-born Martina Navratilova - a nine-time singles champion - and one of her idols Petra Kvitova, who won in 2011 and 2014.

As well as lifting the iconic Venus Rosewater Dish, Noskova will receive £2m in prize money and move up to a new career-high ranking of seventh in the world.

One of the latest of a long line of Czech talents, Noskova had been tipped as a future star who could challenge for Grand Slam titles.

She was a highly-rated junior who became the youngest player inside the top 100 in 2022 and a run to the Australian Open quarter-finals in 2024 underlined her ability.

Making consistent runs at the majors had been rare, but reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last year made her feel "comfy" on the grass when she returned this year.

Noskova set herself up for a deep run in SW19 by winning the Berlin title last month but, in her speech during the Centre Court trophy presentation, acknowledged how difficult the tournament has been both physically and emotionally.

On court, Noskova had to fight back from match point down in her third-round encounter against Romania's Sorana Cirstea.

She is only the third player - after Venus Williams in 2005 and Serena Williams in 2009 - to win the Wimbledon women's singles title from such a position.