More than quarter-of-a-century since her late mentor famously triumphed, Barbora Krejcikova has earned another emotional victory to become Wimbledon singles champion.
The 28-year-old Czech, who shocked tennis back in 2021 by lifting the French Open title, roared to another surprising triumph on Saturday by repelling a comeback from Italian No.7 seed Jasmine Paolini to follow in the footsteps of her late former coach Jana Novotna, who won in 1998.
Krejcikova, the No.31 seed, prevailed 6-2 2-6 6-4 in four minutes under two hours after an absorbing final that looked in the balance until she began to assert herself from 3-3 in the final set.
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Famously, Novotna broke down and cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after she blew her first chance in the 1993 final to Steffi Graf, and there were just a couple of moments as two match points came and went that Krejcikova may have feared slipping up in similar fashion.
But at the third time of asking, Paolini, who had also been a losing finalist at the French Open a month ago, felt that sinking feeling again as her bid to become the first Italian Wimbledon champion died.
Novotna, who won her Wimbledon crown in her third final, took a teenage Krejcikova under her wing, but died of cancer in 2017, aged 49, before she ever had the chance to see her protege lift her grand slam crowns.
This time, it was Novotna’s pupil Krejcikova who shed the tears when she was shown her inspirational mentor’s name on the honours board at the All England Club.
“The only thing that was going through my head was that I miss Jana a lot. It was just a very emotional moment to see my name on a board right next to her,” Krejcikova explained.
“I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I’m on a same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her.”
“I miss Jana a lot. It was a very emotional moment to see me on a board right next to her,” she said after breaking down in tears.
“I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I’m on the same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her.
“I still dream about her a lot. And we are talking in the dreams.”
Earlier, in her on-court interview, Krejcikova paid tribute to her mentor.
“I knocked on her door, giving her a letter, when I was 18 and it definitely changed my tennis life,” Krejcikova told the Centre Court crowd.
“In the period when I finished juniors, I didn’t know what I should do and Jana was the one who told me I had the potential and I should turn pro.
“Before she passed away, she told me to go and win a slam. I achieved that in Paris in 2021, and it was unbelievable – but I never believed I would win the same trophy Jana did in 1998.
“I don’t have any words right now. It’s unreal what just happened.
“It’s definitely the best day of my tennis career, and also the best day of my life.
“I think nobody really believes this, that I got to the final – and nobody’s going to believe I won Wimbledon.
“Two weeks ago, I had a tough match in the first round before I won 7-5 in the third set (against Veronika Kudermetova), and before that I wasn’t in good shape. So it’s unbelievable. How does it happen? I’ve no idea.”
Krejcikova’s triumph also meant the Czech women’s success story continued at Wimbledon, following the unseeded Marketa Vondrousova’s even more surprising win of 12 months earlier.
Her victory was also watched form the Royal Box by Martina Navratilova, the nine-time Wimbledon champion whose own monumental story began in Prague.