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Posted:
2024-07-13 12:14:02
Original link:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-13/live-updates-wimbledon-ladies-final-krejčíková-vs-paolini/104090622
Barbora Krejčíková has emulated her hero, the late, great Czechia legend Jana Novotná, after beating Jasmine Paolini to win a brilliant Wimbledon ladies singles final.
Krejčíková held her nerve in a tense final set to claim victory 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, sealing the win with her third championship point.
The 31st seed said she could not believe that she had won.
"It's just unreal what just happened," Krejčíková said.
"It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life.
"It's super difficult to explain what I am feeling right now."
A ten-time grand slam doubles champion, including twice at the All England Club in 2018 and 2022, Krejčíková is not a stranger to victory on the biggest stage.
But the 28-year-old was visibly emotional when she saw the name of her mentor, Novotná, on the honour board.
Novotná was a two-time runner up at Wimbledon, in 1993 and 1997, before winning in 1998.
When Krejčíková was 18, she went to see the former champion to ask for some advice and guidance in her career.
Novotná subsequently became her mentor, coach, and friend. She died in 2017 of ovarian cancer.
"Well I think that day, knocking on her door, it changed my life," Krejčíková said on court as she clutched the Venus Rosewater Basin after her win.
"In that period when I finished the juniors, I didn't know what to do — should I continue playing pro or go into education?
"She was the one who told me I had the potential and I should definitely turn pro.
"Before she passed away she told me to go and win a slam.
"I achieved that already in Paris [at the French Open] in 2021, it was an unbelievable moment for me.
"I never really dreamed that I would win the same trophy that Jana did in 1998."
During the first set Krejčíková may have felt like she was in a dream, such was the way in which she dominated Paolini in 35 brutal minutes.
Every blistering forehand seemed to find its mark, almost ever serve went in — Krejčíková's first serve went in 90 per cent of the time.
But after that brutal opening, Paolini, the darling of the Wimbledon crowd, woke up with a vengeance.
After a bathroom break the Italian came out a new woman, retrieving points and playing with the gleeful exuberance that has made her such a big crowd favourite.
Krejčíková looked rattled, the dream turning sour.
The third set produced few moments for either woman to capitalise on the others errors as both raised their performance to meet each other head on.
However, when the chance did come the way of the 28-year-old from Czechia, she pounced.
The nerves returned in an error-filled final game as Krejčíková tried to serve out the match, but when Paolini sent the third of those championship points long, Krejčíková raised her arms in the air and raced up to her player box to celebrate.
Paolini admitted the last two months had been "crazy" for her, following her run to the final of both Wimbledon and, first, the French Open.
However, she ultimately came up short in both.
"Today I am a little bit sad," the Italian whose smile lit up Wimbledon these past two weeks said.
"I try to keep smiling because I have to remember today is still a good day, I made the final of Wimbledon.
"I remember as a kid watching the final and cheering for Federer, I have to say.
"It's been a beautiful two weeks and I want to thank everyone who made it possible."
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
'I never really dreamed that I would win the same trophy that Yana did'
Barbora Krejčíková is asked what the win will mean for people back home in Czechia.
"I think nobody really believed it," she says.
"That I got to the final and that I won Wimbledon. I still cannot believe it.
"Just two weeks ago I had a very tough first match and I wasn't really in a good shape.
"It's unbelievable that I am standing here and I am a Wimbledon champion."
Of course, one person who always believed was the Jana Novotná, who guided Krejčíková through her early career.
Krejčíková met Novotná when she was 18 when her parents took her to the 1998 champion's house to ask for advice.
"I think, coming to Jana, meeting her, giving her that letter, it changed my life," Krejčíková said.
"Before she passed away she told me to go and win a slam.
"I achieved that already in Paris in 2021, it was an unbelievable moment for me.
"I never really dreamed that I would win the same trophy that Yana did in 1998."
'It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life'
Your champion, Barbora Krejčíková, is now speaking.
"I don't have any words right now," she says.
"It's just unreal what just happened. It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life.
"It's super difficult to explain what I am feeling right now.
"Congratulations to Jasmine, she had an amazing two weeks, fighting for every ball, at the end I was the lucky one.
"I was just telling myself to be brave ... It was such a difficult match.
"I enjoyed it so much. I am super happy that I can enjoy this moment."
'The last two months have been crazy for me': Paolini
Here is Jasmin Paolini, runner up.
"Thank you for coming," she says to great applause.
"To see this stadium full is a dream come true.
"Congrats Barbora, you played unbelievable
"You play such beautiful tennis
"The last two months have been crazy for me.
"My team and my family ... They always support me and always believe in me
"The crowd has been amazing these last two weeks, it's amazing to feel the love from them.
"Today I am a little bit sad, I have to keep smiling because today is still a very good day."
And now Barbora Krejčíková gets the Venus Rosewater Basin
Jasmine Paulini gets her trophy for finishing second
Ash Barty praises Jasmine Paulini
Feelings go out for Paulini, who also lost the French Open final earlier this year.
She had never won a grass court match before this year though, so has done so well to get to this final.
"Jasmine Paolini has brought spark and life," says Ash Barty on Stan Sport.
"She has so much to proud of and what an exceptional couple of months she's had.
"She's brought so much to the women's game."
Krejčíková runs up to her player box where there are wild celebrations
The celebrations in the stands are fairly muted, it has to be said, but they all stand to applaud the champion, who can't take the smile off her face as the sun beats down on Centre Court.
There are plenty of celebrations in the players box though, they have engulfed Barbora Krejčíková and are wildly celebrating - just metres from the dejected players box of Paolini.
Barbora Krejčíková is Wimbledon champion!
Paolini 4-5* Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Powerful one-two punch from Krejčíková. A lovely forehand cross-court winner. 15-0.
Long from Paolini after some deep, penetrating groundstrokes from Krejčíková. 30-0. Up goes the crowd again.
Double fault from Krejčíková! There's the nerves. 30-15.
Long from Krejčíková! A great, nervous rally! 30-30!
Krejčíková goes long! The crowd roars! 30-40!
Break point
Terrific from Krejčíková, serve and volley, approaching the net and cooly putting the shot away. 40-40.
Wide and long from Paolini! AD-40.
Championship point
Wide and long from Krejčíková! You can cut the tension with a knife. 40-40!
Brilliant passing winner from Paolini! That gets the crowd up off their feet once again. Krejčíková had done so well to force the Italian wide, but she is never, ever out of a point. 40-AD
Break point
Great shot from Krejčíková - Paolini will challenge the call but it was in. 40-40.
ACE! AD-40!
Second championship point
Into the net from Krejčíková! Paolini was so close to being wide with her return, but it clipped the chalk. Fine margins. 40-40.
Into the net from Paolini, who covers her face and then her mouth. AD-40.
Third championship point
Paolini is wide with her return!
Krejčíková will serve for the championship
Paolini *3-5 Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
The crowd rises as Paolini serves to stay in the championship.
Krejčíková goes long with her second shot of the rally. A big exhale from Paolini. 15-0.
Good serve. 30-0.
Brilliant net play from Paolini, coming forward and defly putting the ball away after forcing Krejčíková wide. 40-0.
Net from Paolini off a slow second serve. 40-15.
Krejčíková gets a short ball from Paolini and hammers it away. 40-30. The crowd rises again to encourage Paolini.
Net from Krejčíková!
Paolini stays in the match!
Krejčíková will serve for the championship.
Paolini 3-4* Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
It goes without saying, this is a massive service game.
Can Krejčíková hold her nerve?
Wide from Paolini, who swings just as she did during the second set but this time her angles are all wrong. 15-0.
ACE! 30-0.
Wide from Paolini off the return. 40-0.
Brilliant from Krejčíková! Another ace to see out the game and a massive hold.
Paolini *3-3 Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Who will blink first.
Wide from Paolini in the rally. 0-15.
Long from Paolini in this next rally. 0-30.
Paolini gets to the net and wins a sumptuous point with great touch. 15-30.
Long with the return goes Krejčíková. 30-30. Paolini slams the door that was just starting to open, shut.
And Krejčíková levers it open again with a brilliant cross-court forehand that got her so many points in the first set. 30-40, first break point for the final set.
Long goes Krejčíková with the sliced backhand! A huge "COME ON!" from Paulini. 40-40!
A real battle of a point from these two women, but Krejčíková shows more variety and gets the reward when Paolini goes long. AD-40.
Double fault! Oh my!
The first break of the third set and it's come off a double fault!
Paolini 3-2* Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
With Krejčíková behind, every one of her serves comes under pressure here.
What a shot that is though, a forehand winner that kisses the line on the outside, magnificent from Krejčíková. 15-0.
ACE! 30-0.
Anther terrific serve down the T, Paolini does so well to get it back at all, then she gets anther ball back off the smash but Krejčíková does not panic and plays the ball straight back for another winner. 40-0.
Krejčíková finds the net. 40-15.
ACE! Right down the T. Another excellent hold.
Paolini *2-2 Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Paolini fires a second serve in and Krejčíková attacks it, into the net though. 15-0.
Another netted return from Krejčíková. 30-0.
Out from Krejčíková with a forehand at the net. That's a real let off for Paolini, a third unforced error for the game. 40-0.
Krejčíková loops a return wide and that's a very easy hold.
Paolini 2-1* Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
More issues with the ball toss for Krejčíková. A second serve first up and it's a good one, Paolini goes long during the rally. 15-0.
Lovely shot, catching the line with a looping second shot off the return. Less a one two punch and more a jab then looping hook. Well played. 30-0.
Phenomenal ground strokes from both women, but the killer shot came from Krejčíková, who flattened her stroke and powered a winner to the right of Paolini.
Brilliant hold to love from Krejčíková.
Paolini *1-1 Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Krejčíková finds the net in a rally. 15-0.
Krejčíková sends the return off the second serve long. 30-0.
Wide from Paolini this time. Another small smattering of applause. 30-15.
Great serve, Krejčíková going long with the return and being angry at herself for it. 40-15.
Paolini slips as she gets a flat return from Krejčíková back to the body - and she sends it wide. 40-30.
Long from Krejčíková and we're on serve in the final set.
It's racing along at a pace at the moment it feels like.
Who will blink first?
Paolini 1-0* Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Fault first up for Krejčíková, not what she would have hoped for. But then Paolini is long with the return. Krejčíková's small band of supporters cheer. 15-0.
ACE! 30-0.
Another unreturnable serve down the T - Paolini can only send it into the net. 40-0.
And long from Paolini with the next return.
That's back to the serve we saw in the first set.
Paolini *0-0 Krejčíková, 2-6, 6-2
Phenomenal winner, lovely forehand down the line. That shot is doing great things for her since the end of the first set. 15-0.
ACE! 30-0.
Long from Krejčíková - those returns were going in during the first set. 40-0.
Brilliant from Paolini, she has Krejčíková swinging at air like a club player after making her run from left to right.
Brilliant for the Italian to keep the momentum up.
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