In a scene straight out of a sports fairy tale, Barbora Krejcikova stood on Centre Court with her arms raised high, disbelief etched on her face. As the championship point was sealed, she blew a kiss towards the London sky, a nod to her mentor, the late Jana Novotna. The Czech star etched her name into the Wimbledon history books with a thrilling 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Roland-Garros runner-up Jasmine Paolini.
The victory was more than just a personal triumph; it was a poignant tribute to Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon champion who had mentored Krejcikova. As she made her way through the Centre Court stands to celebrate with her team, the emotional weight of the moment hit her when she saw her name alongside Novotna's on the clubhouse Roll of Honour.
“The only thing that was going through my head was that I miss Jana a lot. It was just very, very emotional,” Krejcikova reflected, tears streaming down her face. “I think she would be proud. I think she would be excited that I'm on the same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her.”
From Junior to Champion
Krejcikova’s journey to this pinnacle began in 2014 when she was transitioning from junior ranks and sought Novotna’s guidance. Their partnership flourished until Novotna's untimely death from ovarian cancer in 2017. Novotna had encouraged Krejcikova to turn professional, believing in her potential to win a Grand Slam. Krejcikova realized this dream in 2021 at Roland Garros and now, remarkably, she holds the same Wimbledon trophy that Novotna did in 1998.
A dream realised ✨
Barbora Krejcikova is a #Wimbledon singles champion for the first time, defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 🇨🇿 🏆 pic.twitter.com/k15QgL7Buz— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2024
“I have like a little notebook that I wrote when I was 12. I wrote that in the future I would like to win Roland-Garros,” Krejcikova shared. “Jana told me all the stories about Wimbledon, about the grass, how difficult it was for her to win the title, and how emotional she was when she actually made it. I think since then I started to see Wimbledon as the biggest tournament in the world.”
"The Best Day of My Life"
Krejcikova, a former world No.2 in singles and No.1 in doubles used her extensive experience to dominate the opening set. Paolini, the No.7 seed, responded with a spirited comeback, leveling the match with energetic play. With the Czech serving for the championship at 5-4 in the third set, tension mounted. On her third match point, Krejcikova clinched the title, forever embedding her name in Wimbledon lore.
“It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and also the best day of my life.”
Showing off the Venus Rosewater Dish to the adoring #Wimbledon fans 🤩 pic.twitter.com/GmMlsOPMWW— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2024
A Surprising Turnaround
Despite a challenging season plagued by injuries and poor form, Krejcikova's remarkable turnaround at Wimbledon defied expectations. Coming into the tournament with a dismal 7-9 record for the year, she went 7-0 over the fortnight, culminating in this astonishing victory.
“I have no idea why this tournament. I think nobody believes I got to the final and nobody believes that I won Wimbledon. I still can't believe it,” she marveled. "Two weeks ago I had a very tough match – 7-6(4), 6-7(1), 7-5 in the first round versus Veronika Kudermetova - and I wasn’t in good shape before that because I was injured and ill.”
Paolini Seeking Positives
For Paolini, it was another near-miss in a remarkable season. After being the runner-up at Roland-Garros, she became the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final in the Open Era, a feat set to elevate her to a career-high world No.5.
An absolute joy, right until the end 😍#Wimbledon | @JasminePaolini pic.twitter.com/BNovAYwoJM— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2024
"The last two months have been crazy for me,” Paolini noted. "Today I am a little bit sad. I try to keep smiling because I have to remember today is still a good day, I made the final of Wimbledon. It's been an incredible year. I hope to continue like that with this level of tennis. I'm going to try to work to keep this focus, this level.”
Inputs by Agencies
Image Source: X(Wimbledon)
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