WTA WIMBLEDON. By Gabriel Matteazzi
Barbora Krejcikova insisted that nobody—neither her friends, family, nor even herself—would have believed she could win Wimbledon to claim her second Grand Slam title. Her first major championship, as an unseeded player three years ago at the French Open, was certainly a surprise. This 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s final at the All England Club was equally unpredictable, but it’s time to recognize that these results are not only possible but also make sense. “It’s unreal what just happened. Definitely the best day in my tennis career—and also the best day of my life,” admitted the 28-year-old Krejcikova, who thanked her late mentor, 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, who introduced her to professional tennis.
Even while holding the champion’s gold plate, Krejcikova described herself as “the lucky one” for overcoming the seventh-seeded Paolini, who was also a finalist at Roland Garros last month.
Krejcikova was the 31st seed out of 32 at the All England Club after an illness and back injury earlier this season limited her to a 7-9 record before the tournament. Her first-round match extended to three sets, further casting doubt. But at the end of the two weeks, during the trophy ceremony, Paolini told Krejcikova, “You play beautiful tennis.” Krejcikova is the eighth woman to win Wimbledon in the last eight editions. Last year’s winner is also Czech: Marketa Vondrousova, who lost in the first round this year.
Paolini is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season—and the first since Venus Williams in 2002 to lose both. Playing with calmness and efficiency—and seemingly without effort—Krejcikova won 10 of her first 11 points and quickly took a 5-1 lead. Despite the crowd’s support for Paolini, likely in hopes of a more competitive match, Krejcikova never wavered. She didn’t need anything beyond her Plan A in the first set on Centre Court, which counted actors Tom Cruise, Kate Beckinsale, and Hugh Jackman among the spectators.
Once the match was tied, Krejcikova left the court to recalibrate. After making only four unforced errors in the first set, she committed 14 in the second. She returned to her precise and clean shots to secure the victory.