“I just had to leave the court,” Linda Nosková explains ear-plugging routine

By
John Ross
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Key Takeaways

  • Linda Nosková explained her decision to step away during her tense fourth-round match: “I just had to leave the court.”
  • Nosková recalled adopting the habit at Wimbledon under coach Tomáš Krupa’s guidance because “the crowd was so loud.”
  • Addressing the impact of literally plugging her ears during tense moments, Nosková stated, “I feel like those moments, I don’t know if they helped me or not.”

A unique coping mechanism in front of roaring crowds

Facing high-stakes pressure and partisan noise, 21-year-old Czech star Linda Nosková has turned to an unconventional ritual. In the fourth round of the U.S. Open against Ukrainian fan favorite Marta Kostyuk, the No. 6 seed squandered two match points in Louis Armstrong Stadium. As the arena erupted, Nosková paused by the baseline, faced away from the court, and pressed her fingers directly into both ears to block out the overwhelming atmosphere.

After dropping the second set 7-5, Nosková regrouped during a brief exit from the playing area, eventually securing a three-set victory. Reflecting on the intense environment, Nosková noted, “I just had to leave the court.” She elaborated on the overwhelming din around the court, admitting, “There was a lot of noise. But obviously I had to restart.”

From the Wimbledon final to Flushing Meadows

The habit is not accidental. The mental strategy originated during this summer’s Wimbledon women’s singles final, where Nosková captured her first Grand Slam title in three sets against Karolína Muchová. Facing five wasted match points in the second set, Nosková relied on pre-match advice from her coach, Tomáš Krupa, who urged her to take isolated moments whenever tension escalated.

Reflecting on that Grand Slam breakthrough, Nosková explained why she shut out the environment: “The crowd was so loud.” She added, “And it was after the games that I have lost, so I was just trying to be with myself for a little time.”

Blocking out the noise on the way to the quarterfinals

The Czech standout turned to the exact same routine in her third-round contest on Court 17 against American Ann Li, overcoming a partisan crowd in another three-set battle. During her post-match exchange, on-court reporter Blair Henley observed her approach to dealing with the audience: “To sort of get yourself in your own zone, you literally drown out the noise.” Henley continued, “You put your fingers to your ears.”

Nosková took the opportunity to joke about the lack of local support, telling the spectators, “Thank you, guys.” She humorously remarked, “You were not really on my side today.”

When assessing whether the tactile approach makes an immediate impact on her scoreline, Nosková remained candid about its true psychological function: “I feel like those moments, I don’t know if they helped me or not.” She concluded, “But it was just definitely to keep myself away from all the noise.” Nosková next takes her baseline focus into a quarterfinal clash against top seed Aryna Sabalenka.