Czech Champion: Krejcikova lifts her first Grand Slam title since 2021. Credit: FiledIMAGE / Shutterstock
31-ranked Barbora Krejcikova defeated seventh-ranked expected winner Jasmine Paolini to lift her first Wimbledon Trophy.
The 28-year-old from Brno won the first set 6-2, lost the second set 6-2, then rallied to win the last set 6-4 to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish, her second-ever singles Grand Slam victory after her first victory in the 2021 French Open.
Unlikely champions have had uncanny success at Wimbledon recently, as for the last seven years, Wimbledon’s women’s title has been won by a player winning it for the first time.
The Czech champion was very classy in her post-game, giving the Italian star her share of credit. “I want to congratulate Jasmine and her team; she fought for every single ball, and in the end, I was the lucky one,” said Krejcikova, “but it’s amazing what she’s been able to achieve in such a short period.
Paolini returned the favour and was very complimentary towards her opponent. “I want to congratulate Barbora,” said Paolini. “You played unbelievably; you play such beautiful tennis, so congratulations to you and your team.”
Despite her loss, her making it to the final put her in some elite company; she became the first woman since Serena Williams to qualify for a French Open Final and a Wimbledon Final in the same year. Unfortunately for her, she was 0-2, losing in the French Open to tennis’s top female player, Iga Swiatek.
