On Saturday, Centre Court was bathed in sunshine as Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in a magnificent ladies’ final.
Krejcikova is now a 12-time Grand Slam winner, with ten titles in doubles and two in singles. The Czech won her other singles title at Roland-Garros in 2021.
She follows in the footsteps of her former coach and mentor Jana Novotna who passed away tragically early from cancer at age 49 in 2017.
“I never dreamed that I’d win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998,” Krejcikova said.
“Jana was the one that told me that I had potential and that I should turn pro.”
Krejcikova played a near flawless first set with her beautiful technique that creates easy power for her all-around game.
In the second set, encouraged by the crowd, the fan-favorite Italian turned things around with her agility, powerful groundstrokes, and deft touch.
(Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
In the final set, the Italian held at love and seemed to have the momentum, but then the Czech held at love. The match stayed level until the Czech broke in a long game at 3-all and then held at love for 5-3. The Italian was able to hold and then fought hard in the final game. It took three match points for the Czech to seal the victory.
In her post-match press conference, Paolini said: “Yeah, today is a little bit tough to speak now. Yeah, it’s been a really good two weeks. I have to accept today and to try to work hard. I’m sure I’m going to do it, but today it’s tough to speak ‘cause I was close but not enough.
“Today I was dreaming to hold the trophy, but didn’t went well. Yeah, I’m just enjoying the position where I am right now, 5 in the world. It’s unbelievable, honestly. I just did two finals in two Grand Slams. I have to be also happy with the results. Also, a little bit disappointed, yeah.”
Paolini said of her opponent’s game: “I think she served better than me, of course. I also think she can move the ball very good, very well. She can takes really great angles with the shots. She’s a very complete player. She’s so good.
“Yeah, I think she was a little bit I think closer to the line with respect of me. I was a little bit, especially the first set, too much back in the court. She was taking the ball earlier, and she was moving me.
“But then I tried to serve better and to try to push more. It went a little bit better, but still she was playing really good I think. The quality of the serve of hers was better than mine, I think.”
In her post-match press conference, Krejcikova said: “I’m super happy that I won today, yeah, that I was able to lift up the trophy. Yeah, it’s a great feeling.”
The new Wimbledon champion said she had no idea why this tournament. “I mean, I had really tough draw from the very first match. I was just going match by match. I was just feeling better and getting better.
“Yeah, I mean, here I am. I don’t know how that happen. But, yes, I’m a winner of this edition.”
Krejcikova was asked when Wimbledon became a dream of hers: “It’s tough to say. I mean, winning any slam is great. Winning here at the Wimbledon is huge for me.
“But I wouldn’t really say it was kind of like my dreams when I was very little. I have like a little notebook that I wrote when I was, like, 12. I don’t know, maybe like three, four months ago I was listing through that notebook.
“I had there that in the future, like back then when I was 12, I wrote that in the future I would like to win the French Open. So, it was quite a big dream for me to win the French Open.
“To be honest, maybe things shifted a little bit when I actually met Jana and when she was telling 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 the Wimbledon like the biggest tournament in the world.”
