Ten days into this year’s competition, it feels like Elena Rybakina’s name will be engraved on the women’s singles trophy for the second time in three years. The Kazakh player reached the semi-finals after losing just one set and is looking forward to building on the success she won so well in 2022.
Barbora Krejcikova had other ideas. The 2021 French Open champion has struggled with injuries over the past 12 months, but the 28-year-old found a way to offset Rybakina’s power on Thursday as she claimed a 3-6 win , 6-3, 6- won. “This is unbelievable,” Krejcikova said cheerfully. “It’s a lot of joy, a lot of emotions, a lot of relief. I’m very proud of today’s game and my fighting spirit. I’m down 0-4, but I’m happy to win the first game. I just want to give everyone Fighting for the ball. I felt like I started to get momentum somewhere in the second set when I broke her. [for 4-2 in the second set] I started getting into the zone and didn’t want to leave the zone.
Krejcikova is the successor to Martina Navratilova, Hana Mandlikova, Yana Novotna, Petra Kvitova, Karolina Pulis The seventh Czech woman to reach an Open final, after Kova and last year’s champion Marta Vondrousova.
Defeating Jasmine Paolini on Saturday would make her the sixth Czech champion, which would be especially poignant for Krejcikova, who was beaten by the late 1998 champion Novotna from 2014 to 2017. (Novotna), who died of cancer that year.
“A few years ago I worked with Jana Novotna, who won the championship here in 1998. At the time, she told me a lot about her journey here and how she worked to win The Wimbledon Champion’s Story So Far. [away] As we’re having this conversation and now here I am, wow, I’m in the finals,” Krejcikova said, pausing to compose herself.
“I have a lot of great memories of when I stepped on the court here and just fought for every ball because I was sure that’s what she wanted me to do. I miss her so much.
After a thrilling first match, Center Court began as Italy’s Jasmine Paolini defeated Donna Vekic in the longest women’s semi-final in Wimbledon history. Just half empty. This didn’t seem to faze Ribakina, who led 4-0 with typically great serving and powerful groundstrokes.
When Krejcikova broke serve in the fifth game, she got on the board and slowly she began to play up the game. Krejcikova is an outstanding doubles player who has won seven Grand Slam doubles titles, including two here. Let Rybakina step out of her comfort zone. It was too late to influence the outcome of the first set as the fourth seed took the lead, but it planted the seed.
At 2-2, 30-40 in the second set, Rybakina had a chance to break serve and take control of the match, but it’s amazing how even the best players can play with their minds in a head-to-head record. Contest. Krejcikova has prevailed in both of their previous meetings, even if the most recent was two years ago, and its impact should not be underestimated. Krejcikova saved herself with an ace to hold serve, and the game turned around.
Suddenly Krejcikova was in the match, breaking at 4-2 and holding on to the lead despite being nearly tripped up at 5-3, 40-0 and double-faulting twice on set point, Eventually the score was evened.
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Rybakina had completely dominated on serve in the previous five rounds, averaging 75% on first serve, which she had done four times in the 1980s. Against Krejcikova, her win rate dropped to 67%, defeated by the Czech’s shenanigans, her ability to get the ball early took her out of her usual rhythm and her doubles prowess came in handy.
Neither side achieved a break point until the third set. It was not until 3-3 that Rybakina’s pressure finally showed. Three forehand errors gave Krejcikova the advantage. Rybakina at least asked Krejcikova to step out, but she got the job done, and when Rybakina returned a long backhand, the Czech raised her arms above her head in delight to finish the match.
After Paolini beat Vicchi, the new Wimbledon champion has been determined, and Krejcikova is looking forward to just a fierce battle.
“I know she’s a great fighter and she showed that today and I showed that,” Krejcikova said. “I thought we played some great tennis and hopefully we can show that again on Saturday.”
