There was a lot on the line for a pair of first-time Wimbledon finalists on Saturday, and Barbora Krejcikova and Jasmine Paolini rose to the occasion. After 1 hour and 56 minutes, No.31 seed Krejcikova earned a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win over seventh-seeded Paolini on Centre Court to give her a second career Grand Slam singles title.
While the match had its ebbs and flows, reaching its crescendo in a tense third set and tenser final game, it was Krejcikova’s stirring tribute to her late mentor and coach, Jana Novotna, in the aftermath of winning her second Grand Slam singles title on Saturday at Wimbledon that reverberated beyond the walls of the All England Club and onto social media.
Having already expounded during the fortnight just how much Novotna meant to her in her life, Krejcikova was emotional at matching the achievement of her late mentor, who won the 1998 singles title, with the victory — and her incredulity at doing so was chief among the moments that resonated with fans and former players online.
“The day I knocked on her door changed my life,” Krejcikova said in her post-match champion’s speech. “I never really dreamed I would win the same trophy she did in 1998.”
When she left Centre Court, cameras also caught Krejcikova’s moving reaction to her name being etched alongside Novotna’s on Wimbledon’s traditional roll of honor.
A young Krejcikova was also the star of one of the sweetest posts in the aftermath of the final — from the Czech Olympic Committee, which posted the champ as a child holding one her earliest trophies alongside a snapshot of her holding her newest one.
The runner-up also shared her thoughts after the final, with Paolini commenting that the opportunity to play on tennis’ most iconic court on Wimbledon’s final day was a memory for a lifetime.
When I was little, I watched this fantastic tournament on TV. Playing in the final here is a lifetime memory. I didn’t win, but it’s still a good day. Thanks to everyone cheering for me—family, team, and sponsors. Thank you, @Wimbledon. Grazie mille! pic.twitter.com/2YaK5icKFk
— Jasmine Paolini (@JasminePaolini) July 13, 2024
By winning a second major, Krejcikova joined an exclusive club of multi-Slam winners. One of them, Victoria Azarenka, was quick to congratulate her on social media for her “special” Wimbledon title.
“How much it means on much personal level we may not fully understand but it translates thru her emotions beautifully!” the two-time…