More than quarter-of-a-century since her late mentor famously triumphed, Barbora Krejcikova has earned another emotional victory to become Wimbledon singles champion.
The 28-year-old Czech, who shocked tennis back in 2021 by lifting the French Open title, roared to another surprising triumph on Saturday by repelling a comeback from Italian No.7 seed Jasmine Paolini to follow in the footsteps of her late former coach Jana Novotna, who won in 1998.
Krejcikova, the No.31 seed, prevailed 6-2 2-6 6-4 in four minutes under two hours after an absorbing final that looked in the balance until she began to assert herself from 3-3 in the final set.
Famously, Novotna broke down and cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after she blew her first chance in the 1993 final to Steffi Graf, and there were just a couple of moments as two match points came and went that Krejcikova may have feared slipping up in similar fashion.
But at the third time of asking, Paolini, who had also been a losing finalist at the French Open a month ago, felt that sinking feeling again as her bid to become the first Italian Wimbledon champion died.
Novotna, who won her Wimbledon crown in her third final, took a teenage Krejcikova under her wing, but died of cancer in 2017, aged 49, before she ever had the chance to see her protege lift her grand slam crowns.
“I knocked on her door, giving her a letter, when I was 18 and it definitely changed my tennis life,” Krejcikova told the Centre Court crowd.
“In the period when I finished juniors, I didn’t know what I should do and Jana was the one who told me I had the potential and I should turn pro.
“Before she passed away, she told me to go and win a slam. I achieved that in Paris in 2021, and it was unbelievable – but I never believed I would win the same trophy Jana did in 1998.
Barbora Krejcikova kisses the trophy after winning Wimbledon. (Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“I don’t have any words right now. It’s unreal what just happened.
“It’s definitely the best day of my tennis career, and also the best day of my life.
“I think nobody really believes this, that I got to the final – and nobody’s going to believe I won Wimbledon.
“Two weeks ago, I had a tough match in the first round before I won 7-5 in the third set (against Veronika Kudermetova), and before that I wasn’t in good shape. So it’s unbelievable. How does it happen? I’ve no idea.”
Krejcikova’s triumph also meant the Czech women’s success story continued at Wimbledon, following the unseeded Marketa Vondrousova’s even more surprising win of 12 months earlier.
Her victory was also watched form the Royal Box by Martina Navratilova, the nine-time Wimbledon champion whose own monumental story began in Prague.
Meanwhile,
Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson have been left devastated, suffering the heartbreak of losing in the Wimbledon men’s doubles final after holding three Championship points.
The Australian pair were on the verge of continuing the rich tradition of Australian doubles winners at Wimbledon on Saturday evening only to have the title snatched away from them on Centre Court in the most dramatic of climaxes by Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Briton Henry Patten.
In what will go down as one of the great doubles finals at the grass-court slam, the Centre Crowd court were left hailing their local hero, Patten, as the Anglo-Finn partnership prevailed in a thrilling deciding super tie-breaker 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (11-9).
The Sydneysiders, pals from way back, had for long parts of the match looked set to emerge victorious, as they were so dominant behind their serves, not giving up a sniff of a break point.
Three times, they were just one point away from becoming the seventh Australian men’s doubles team in the Open era to lift the crown.
They had a Championship point at 6-5 in the second set, and another two came and went in the subsequent tie-break. Thompson, in particular, looked pained by one of the easier volleys he had missed all day on the third match point at 8-7.
“Beyond devastated,” he told the Centre Court crowd, who were still on a high after watching a Briton triumph – and a few titters followed his sad admission.
It prompted Purcell to chip in and tell them sharply: “Don’t laugh at him!”
Newshttps://www.theroar.com.au/2024/07/14/i-never-believed-id-win-the-same-trophy-jana-did-krejcikova-dedicates-wimbledon-win-to-late-mentor-as-aussie-duo-stumble/‘I never believed I’d win the same trophy Jana did’: Krejcikova dedicates Wimbledon win to late mentor as Aussie duo stumble
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