Excellent Krejcikova stuns Elena Rybakina to reach maiden Wimbledon final
The 2022 champion was knocked out by Barbora Krejcikova as the Czech fought back from a set down to reach her first Wimbledon final
Barbora Krejcikova, Wimbledon, 2024 Gepa / Panoramic
Barbora Krejcikova produced a remarkable comeback to defeat the highest remaining seed, and 2022 champion, Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach her maiden Wimbledon final.
The 2021 Roland-Garros champion was in irresistible form across the last two sets of the match, having initially struggled to cope with her opponent’s effortless power.
Rybakina raced into a double-break 4-0 lead as Krejcikova grappled to get to grips with the barrage of fierce groundstrokes and serves coming her way.
But a flurry of breaks opened the door for a much closer contest, as Krejcikova started to show her ability to do damage on Rybakina’s serve. She broke twice – either side of a third break for the Kazakh – before Rybakina eventually got over the line at the second time of asking to take the opener 6-3.
Krejcikova had already got that crucial foothold in the match, however, and the Czech’s momentum continued into the second set. She upped her intensity in attack while securing her service games with greater confidence, dictating play far too often for Rybakina’s liking as the former champion, usually so assured on the grass, began to look rattled.
In the sixth game, Krejcikova earned the vital break, one that was enough to earn her the second set and draw her level with Rybakina at one set apiece.
As in the semi-final before it, the match went into a nail-biting third. Again, it was the Czech who seized the initiative, breaking in the seventh game as a stunned Rybakina found herself on the ropes.
Prior to this match, Rybakina had only lost once at Wimbledon when she’d won the first set. She is a formidable front-runner, especially on her favoured grass courts.
But today, it was not to be. Krejcikova’s quality never let up, erasing a 0-30 lead for her opponent in the eighth game before serving out a momentous win in the tenth, with a return from Rybakina sailing long on the Czech’s first match point.
emotional krejcikova pays tribute to former mentor Novotna
“Unbelievable,” was Krejcikova’s first word in her on-court interview.
“It is very tough to explain, but a lot of joy and a lot of emotions. Also there is a lot of relief and I am super proud.
“I am so proud about my game and my fighting spirit today. I was trying to fight for every single ball, during the second set I was getting my momentum and when I broke her I started to be in the zone and I didn’t want to leave the zone.”
The visibly emotional Krejcikova then paid tribute to her former mentor, Jana Novotna, as the size of the occasion caught up with her.
“A couple of years I was working with Jana Novota – the 1998 Wimbledon winner.
“She was telling me a lot of stories about her journey here and how she was trying to win Wimbledon. I was so far away when we had this talk. Now I am here and I am in a final.
“I remember thinking about her a lot. I have so many beautiful memories and when I step on the court I fight for every single ball as that is what she would want me to do.”
another first-time ladies’ singles winner at wimbledon
Krejcikova has once again underlined her credentials as the unofficial fourth member of tennis’ leading three players, alongside Coco Gauff.
She has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to beat the very best players on the biggest stages. By defeating Rybakina on her preferred grass-court surface, Krejcikova has arguably earned the most impressive of all those big-name scalps.
The biggest issue she has is consistency, which is driven mainly by her unfortunate injury record.
But arriving in a Wimbledon final with a golden chance to secure a second Grand Slam title puts her right back into the conversation regarding the WTA’s finest players.
If she is to take that last, momentous step, Krejcikova will need to get past the ever impressive Jasmine Paolini – another first-time finalist – in the final on Saturday.
Remarkably, this means that there has still not been a repeat winner of the ladies’ singles title at Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2016.
Whatever the outcome of Saturday’s showpiece, Wimbledon will once again have a new champion lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2024.
