Barbora Krejcikova wins in women’s singles at Wimbledon against Jasmine Paolini
Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic emerged victorious at Wimbledon on Saturday, defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in a thrilling women’s singles final. The match played on Centre Court under sunny skies, was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing both players’ fighting spirit and resilience.
Krejcikova, known more for her prowess in doubles (having won 10 Grand Slam doubles titles, including two at Wimbledon), started the match with a near-flawless performance. She broke Paolini’s serve in the very first game and held her own serve to lead 2-0. The Czech player, with her powerful baseline strokes, continued to put pressure on Paolini, seeking an early double break. However, Paolini managed to hold serve in the third game, getting her name on the scoreboard.
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The Centre Court crowd, heavily supporting the Italian player, came alive in the fourth game. Paolini displayed incredible court coverage to stay in the rallies, but Krejcikova remained composed and held serve to extend her lead to 3-1. Paolini continued to battle, talking to herself for encouragement, but her serve woes continued, gifting another break to Krejcikova. The Czech player capitalized on her dominance, wrapping up the first set 6-2 in just 35 minutes.
The tide turned dramatically in the second set. Paolini, returning with renewed determination, capitalized on Krejcikova’s first dip in form. She broke the Czech’s serve to surge ahead 3-0, peppering the court with winners. Krejcikova, seemingly affected by the growing crowd support for Paolini and her own unforced errors (including double faults), struggled to find her rhythm.
While she managed to hold serve once to avoid falling further behind, the momentum had clearly shifted. Paolini rode this wave of confidence, feeding off the energy of the crowd, and secured the second set 6-2, forcing the final into a deciding third set.
The momentum appeared to be with Paolini going into the third set. However, at a crucial 3-3 tie, a double fault by the Italian handed Krejcikova a golden opportunity. The Czech player capitalized on this break, serving with renewed focus and inching closer to the championship. Despite nerves creeping in at 5-4, with two match points wasted, Krejcikova finally sealed the deal on her third attempt, collapsing to the court in celebration.
While Paolini fell short of becoming the first Italian woman to win a Wimbledon singles title, she can hold her head high for her fighting spirit and crowd-pleasing performance. The loss adds to the recent heartbreak of reaching the French Open final just a few weeks ago.
For Krejcikova, this victory adds the prestigious Wimbledon title to her French Open crown from 2021. This win further cements her position among the elite players in women’s tennis and continues the Czech Republic’s strong presence in Wimbledon singles titles, following Marketa Vondrousova’s triumph in 2023.
