Barbora Krejcikova emulates mentor Jana Novotna to capture Wimbledon title

Krejcikova kept the Venus Rosewater Dish in Czech hands following Marketa Vondrousova’s surprise triumph last year by claiming a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory over popular Italian Jasmine Paolini.

Krejcikova’s win comes 26 years after Novotna won her only slam title, lifting the trophy she most wanted having famously cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent five years previously following defeat by Steffi Graf.

Novotna took a teenage Krejcikova under her wing but died of cancer in 2017 aged 49 before she could see her protege flourish in the professional game.

Krejcikova is from Novotna’s home town of Brno and, unsure where her career was heading, she went to the former Wimbledon champion’s house and gave her a letter asking for advice.

“Knocking on her door changed my life,” said Krejcikova after being handed the trophy.

“When I finished juniors I didn’t know whether to continue or go the way of education. Jana was the one who told me I had the potential to go pro.

“Before she passed away she told me to go and win a slam. I did in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me. I never believed I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.”

Krejcikova sobbed when she was shown her name on the honours board along with Novotna’s before continuing her celebrations.

Both Krejcikova and Paolini took their time to rise through the ranks in singles, with the Czech thought of as a doubles specialist prior to her surprise French Open victory in 2021.

It is only this season, meanwhile, that Paolini has emerged at the top level, reaching her first slam final at Roland Garros a month ago.

Wimbledon was guaranteed an eighth different champion in the women’s singles in the last eight years and it was Krejcikova, who defeated 2022 winner Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals, who flew out of the traps.

The 28-year-old was playing in her 13th slam final across singles and doubles and had lost only one, so it was no surprise to see her thrive on the big occasion, finding the corners of the court and serving superbly.

Actor Hugh Jackman was sat among a number of former Wimbledon champions in the Royal Box, and the crowd were fully behind Paolini as she tried to mount a comeback.

But it took a huge effort from the Italian just to get on the board in the third game, and Krejcikova wasted no time wrapping up the set, missing only two of 21 first serves.

Paolini, who had only won three games in her final against Iga Swiatek in Paris, headed off court for a bathroom break and the momentum immediately switched on the resumption.

Paolini surged into a 3-0 lead, finding greater depth and vim on her shots and drawing some errors from the Krejcikova racket.

The Italian’s smiley demeanour and positive energy have earned her huge numbers of fans this summer and half the crowd were on their feet when she levelled the match.

Now it was Krejcikova’s turn to head off court for a break and the tension ratcheted up as both held serve comfortably in the early stages of the third set.

Paolini was the first to find herself under pressure in the seventh game and it told, a couple of errors putting her in a hole before a double fault handed the break to Krejcikova.

The Czech had dropped just one point on serve in her first four games in the deciding set but there were nerves trying to finish it off and she had to save two break points before clinching it on her third match point.

Krejcikova will return to the singles top 10 on Monday – with Paolini at a career-high of five – while she becomes the first woman representing the Czech Republic to win slam titles across different surfaces.

“It’s unreal what just happened,” said the 28-year-old. “The best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life.

“I was just telling myself to be brave. It was such a difficult match, a great final, a great competition and I’m super happy to be standing here enjoying this moment.”

Paolini refused to be too disappointed, saying: “I’m a little bit sad but I try to keep smiling. I have to remember today is still a good day. I remember watching as a kid cheering for (Roger) Federer. So to be here now is crazy. It’s been a beautiful two weeks.”