Czech Barbora Krejcikova won her first Grand Slam title this Saturday by defeating Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6 and 6-4 in the Roland Garros final in a match that lasted one hour and 58 minutes. on the brick dust of the Philippe-Chatrier stadium.
Krejcikova, who in her semifinal had to lift a match point against the Greek Maria Sakkari before winning, began sweeping in this final and took the first set with great ease, but an absolute drop in her performance balanced the match after the second. partial.
The final started again in the third and final round, in which the Czech was firmer at the decisive moment: she broke the serve to Pavlyuchenkova with the score 3-3, consolidated the break in the next service round and -despite to wasting two match points when he was receiving 5-3 – he was able to seal the win in the next game.
“It’s really hard to find the words, I can’t believe what happened to me, I can’t believe that I just won a Grand Slam tournament,” acknowledged the player born 25 years ago in Brno, who started the tournament in 33rd place. of the WTA ranking and from Monday she will appear in the 15th step, the best position of her career.
The winner received the Suzanne-Lenglen trophy from tennis legend Martina Navratilova, a Czechoslovak nationalized American, twice champion in Paris (1982, 1984). The other Czech who had won this tournament had been Hana Mandlikova in 1981.
The champion recalled in her speech another compatriot, Jana Novotna, winner of Wimbledon in 1998 and passed away in 2017. “It was amazing to have had the opportunity to meet her. She was a great inspiration to me. I really miss her, but I hope she’s happy right now. I am extremely happy, “he said.
Barbora Krejcikova receives the Suzanne Lenglen cup from Martina Navratilova. (Photo: Christophe Archambault / AFP)
“When she was about to die, almost her last words were: ‘Just enjoy yourself and try to win a Grand Slam. I know that from somewhere she is taking care of me and all this, what happened during these two weeks, is probably because she is taking care of me. I just want to really thank you, ”he added.
With this victory, the Czech extended the streak that had started 15 days ago, with her consecration in Strasbourg (it was her first WTA title), and lifted her first Grand Slam trophy just in her fifth participation in the main draw. Only two women made it with fewer appearances: Monica Seles and Bianca Andreescu, who were crowned champions in their fourth major.
Until this edition of Roland Garros, Krejcikova’s best singles performance in one of the four main tournaments on the circuit had been her access to the round of 16 in Paris in 2020.
Barbora Krejcikova poses with the Suzanne Lenglen cup after her consecration in Paris. (Photo: Caroline Blumberg / EFE / EPA)
In doubles, her resume includes a better record: she won two Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. On Sunday she will have the chance to add one more, as she will play the final with Katerina Siniakova against American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Polish Iga Swiatek.
If successful, she will become the first player to win the singles and doubles titles at Roland Garros since France’s Mary Pierce did it in 2000.
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