Qatar tribune PAMedia/DPA London Barbora Krejcikova emulated mentor Jana Novotna to win her second Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon. Krejcikova kept the Venus Rosewater Dish in Czech hands following Marketa Vondrousova’s surprise triumph last year by claiming a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over popular Italian Jasmine Paolini. Krejcikova’s win comes 26 years after Novotna won her only slam title, lifting the trophy she most wanted having famously cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent five years previously following defeat by Steffi Graf.
Novotna took a teenage Krejcikova under her wing but died of cancer in 2017 aged 49 before she could see her protege flourish in the professional game. Krejcikova is from Novotna’s home town of Brno and, unsure where her career was heading, she went to the former Wimbledon champion’s house and gave her a letter asking for advice. “Knocking on her door changed my life,” said Krejcikova after being handed the trophy.
“When I finished juniors I didn’t know whether to continue or go the way of education. Jana was the one who told me I had the potential to go pro. “Before she passed away she told me to go and win a slam.
I did in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me. I never believed I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.” Krejcikova sobbed when she was shown her name on the honours board along with Novotna’s before continuing her celebrations.
Both Krejcikova and Paolini took their time to ri.