That kind of thing is all in a day’s work for Muchova, who also has admitted to not always selecting the obvious, prudent shot. Thanks to her flair and superb mobility, Muchova can turn to a “third or fourth” option for any shot, which is how a beckoning backhand, down-the-line approach shot ends up being a delicate, cross-court drop shot that may leave an opponent rooted where she stands.
“It’s something, like, terrible. I always am [thinking], ‘Oh, I hope nobody saw this,’ but there are plenty of people around,” Muchova said at Roland Garros last year. “So, yeah, I’m still working on this.”
That effort to rein in that explosive, acrobatic gam hasn’t been entirely successful, to the delight of fans who are ga-ga for creative tennis. And it isn’t as if Muchova is sacrificing herself to please them. Her game, in all its color and variety, clearly works.
Sometimes, though, Muchova must feel that she is living a real-life version of the popular movie, Groundhog Day.
