Heading into the Wimbledon final, Barbora Krejcikova was a seven-time Major doubles champion, the 2021 French Open singles winner and an Olympic gold medallist. She had even completed the career Slam in doubles, winning each of the four big titles at least once.
But tennis nirvana, it appears, doesn’t quite touch those who are yet to triumph in singles at the historic All England Club. On Saturday, Krejcikova achieved this crowning glory by defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 at the same Centre Court where her late mentor Jana Novotna hoisted the Venus Rosewater Dish 26 summers ago.
“It’s unreal what just happened,” the Czech star said on court. “Definitely the best day of my career and my life. Jasmine played great, but in the end I was the lucky one.”
Management gurus will say that luck arises when preparation meets opportunity and on the day Krejcikova was a tad better at this. The 28-year-old played a superb first set, disappeared in the second before cracking open the contest at 3-3 in the third and holding her nerve during the tense home stretch.
Paolini was in form, having reached the French Open final a month ago, and someone whom the SW19 populace had instinctively warmed up to as they would with a striking piece of art.
But Krejcikova hushed them into silence by breaking Paolini in the very first game. She landed 90% of her first serves, won 80% of all service points and a majority on the return.
The 31st seed hit with power and precision, changed direction at will and painted the lines like a virtuoso artist.
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In the second, however, Paolini came out swinging. Four errors into the net from Krejcikova in the second game handed the 28-year-old a crucial break and a toehold. Another break in the eighth game levelled matters and gave Paolini a chance to serve ahead in the third.
The first six games were quiet, but the match turned in the seventh when Krejcikova pressured Paolini and the latter served a double fault on break-point. A love hold to 5-3 seemed to signal the end only for the irrepressible Paolini to attempt one last roll of the dice.
From 5-4, 30-0 up, Krejcikova was forced to face break-point twice. But she saved them with a drop volley and a terrific cross-court forehand. Krejcikova also let two match-points slip before a huge serve into the ad-court ushered the end.
The capacity crowd burst into spontaneous appreciation and would have gone home celebrating Krejcikova but also remembering Paolini.
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