Noskova, 17, becomes youngest qualifier for Roland Garros in 13 years
Seventeen-year-old Czech Linda Noskova became the youngest player to qualify for Roland Garros in 13 years on Thursday as she stepped up her impressive transition from the junior game.
The reigning girls’ champion in Paris having beaten Erika Andreeva to the junior crown last year, Noskova returned to the terre battue and overcame Anna Blinkova, Conny Perrin and Rebecca Sramkova in the qualifying event to earn a main draw spot at a Grand Slam for the first time.
Noskova, who will be 17 years 186 days on the first day of the tournament, is set to become the youngest Czech player to compete at a Grand Slam since Nicole Vaidisova (17 years 127 days) at the 2006 US Open.
She is also the youngest qualifier at Roland Garros since Michelle Larcher de Brito (16 years 128 days) in 2009.
One of a number of exciting young talents from the Czech Republic along with fellow teens Linda Fruhvirtova, Sara Bejlek, Nikola Bartunkova and Brenda Fruhvirtova (who are all ranked comfortably inside the WTA’s Top 400 while still aged under 17), Noskova is making an impressive transition from the junior game.
Linda Noskova's successful passage through qualifying @rolandgarros will see her become the youngest Czech player to compete at a Grand Slam since Nicole Vaidisova (17 years 127 days) at the 2006 US Open.
— ITF Media (@ITFMedia) May 19, 2022
Noskova will be 17 years 186 days on the first day of the tournament.
Honing her craft on the ITF World Tennis Tour, Noskova has won her first five professional singles titles over the last 14 months, including two triumphs at W60 level – at W60 Prerov in August, and W60 Croissy-Beaubourg last month.
The teenager has tasted WTA competition on three occasions but is yet to win a match at that level having fallen as a wild card at both WTA International and WTA 125K Series events in Prague in 2020, and at a further WTA International tournament in Belgrade last May.
Skipping that step won’t matter a jot, of course, if a prized Grand Slam match-win comes first next week.
Noskova will assume her place in the women's singles main draw alongside 11 other former Roland Garros girls' singles champions - Kaia Kanepi, Alize Cornet, Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic, Ons Jabeur, Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina, Paula Badosa, Coco Gauff, Leylah Fernandez and Elsa Jacquemot.