LONDON (AP) — At 18, a decade before Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon On Saturday, she finished junior tennis and couldn’t decide whether to pursue a professional tennis career or move on, go to school and find a different path.
So Krejcikova wrote a letter to one of her idols, 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, and dropped it off at her home in their native Czech Republic. Not only did Novotna tell Krejcikova that she had talent and should stick to the sport, she also became a mentor until her death from cancer in 2017.
“Before she died,” Krejcikova said, “she asked me to go and win a Slam.”
How about two? Krejcikova is a An unseeded, surprise winner at the French Open Three years ago, she added to her trophy by defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the final at the All England Club. Shortly after Saturday’s match, Krejcikova went to see her name printed on the list of Wimbledon champions posted in the center court hallway — and Novotna’s too.
“The only thing that was running through my head,” Krejcikova said, “is that I miss Jana so much. It was very, very emotional. I think she would be proud.
Even after holding on to win on her third match point, Krejcikova insisted that no one – not her friends, not her family, not even herself – would believe what she had accomplished. After all, he was plagued by a back injury and illness this season, and his record was just 7-9 when he arrived at a grass-court major in 2024.
Krejcikova was ranked 31st out of 32 ranked women at the All England Club. Then came a three-setter in the first round last week, adding to the doubts.
But at the end of the fortnight, seventh seed Paulini stood up and told Krejcikova: “You are playing such beautiful tennis.”
Krejcikova is the eighth woman in the last eight editions of Wimbledon to exit as champion. Last year’s champion also hails from the Czech Republic: unseeded Marketa VondrusovaLast week’s first round loser.
Paulini, Runner-up to Ika Svidek at French Open Last month, she became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach the finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season – and the first since Venus Williams in 2002 to lose both.
Paolini, 28, from Italy, said: “If I keep this position, I think I will have a chance to do big things.”
This match was as back and forth as can be.
Fittingly, the last game took 14 points to decide, with Krejcikova having to fend off a pair of break chances. He eventually converted his third match point when Paulini missed a backhand.
“I was telling myself to be brave,” said Krejcikova, who has seven Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, including two at Wimbledon and three in mixed doubles.
He had a very good 10 points in the first 11 games and five in the first 6 games, and hoping to see a competitive match, “Forza!” Yelling, he pulled loudly at Paolini. (“Let’s go!”), her frequent pattern, or “Calma!” (“Be still!”).
“She was getting the ball early and she was moving me,” Paolini said.
Initially, Paulini looked like someone burdened with residual fatigue Longest women’s semifinal in Wimbledon history2 hour 51 minute win over Donna Vekic on Thursday.
But after a trip to the locker room before the second set, Poulini took over and controlled longer baseline exchanges while Krejcikova’s errors piled up.
From 3-down in the final set, Paolini stumbled, double-faulting just once all afternoon. Krejcikova then held to love for 5-3 and quickly served up the championship, no matter how tough things got down the stretch.
During the trophy ceremony, following her singles victory in Paris in 2021, Krejcikova spoke about Novotna’s influence on her tennis career and her life in general.
Later on Saturday, at Krejcikova’s news conference, Novotna said she often appeared in her dreams. They would talk to each other, she explained.
A reporter asked Krejcikova what she would like to say to Novotna now that both are Wimbledon champions.
“Well, I guess I’ll turn it around,” Krejcikova said with a smile. “I want to hear what she has to say to me.”
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