Bouzkova wins a maiden grass-court title in Nottingham
A first grass-court title and a career-high ranking just before the Wimbledon cutoff: Marie Bouzkova (No 4) beat Emma Navarro 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2 to win in Nottingham, climbing to No 22 with the majors days away.
Marie Bouzkova, 2026 | © Action Plus / PsNewz
Czech fourth seed Marie Bouzkova claimed the first grass-court title of her career on Sunday, recovering from a mid-match wobble to beat American third seed Emma Navarro 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2 and win the Lexus Nottingham Open.
It was a breakthrough on a surface that had previously eluded her. Bouzkova, the world No 27, had never gone beyond a WTA quarter-final on grass before this week – though one of those runs came at Wimbledon – and she made the most of her chance in Nottingham.
She edged a tight opening set on a tie-break, lost the second as Navarro hit back, and pushed through any discomfort late in the match, having taken a medical timeout for treatment on her right foot, to dominate the decider and seal the title.
Former Wimbledon quarter finalist
The win was the fourth of Bouzkova’s career and will lift her to a new career high of No 22 on Monday, a climb that comes just before the Wimbledon seeding cutoff and carries her into the grass-court Grand Slam in form. A former quarter-finalist at the All England Club, she arrives at the majors with momentum and a first piece of grass-court silverware to show for it.
Bouzkova had reached the final without dropping a set, beating former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova (6-4, 6-1), German Tatjana Maria (7-5, 6-0), English prospect Hannah Klugman (7-5, 6-2) and compatriot Tereza Valentova (6-3, 6-3).
Navarro, ranked No 25, had taken a tougher road, coming through three-set examinations against Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva (6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-4) and Hungarian Anna Bondar (6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2), as well as wins over Swiss Viktorija Golubic (7-6 (5), 6-2) and Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (7-6 (6), 6-2), before falling just short in the final.
