MIAMI — Barbora Krejcikova has heard all the whispers about the emergence of a new “Big Three” on the Hologic WTA Tour.
Yes, Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has been the 2023 front-runner.
Yes, Indian Wells champion Elena Rybakina has contested two of the biggest finals of the season.
Yes, World No.1 Iga Swiatek has proven that she isn’t planning to come crashing down to earth anytime soon.
But Krejcikova contends she deserves to be in the conversation as well. She is the one who handed Sabalenka her first loss of the season. She is the one who defeated Swiatek in the final of the first WTA 1000 of the season to win Dubai. Of the three biggest titles of the season so far, she owns one of them.
“When I read something on social media, it’s about Iga, Aryna, and Elena — I’m not really there,” Krejcikova told WTA Insider after her win over Madison Keys in the third round of the Miami Open.
“What else should I do? How should I prove it again?
“This week, again I’m here and I’m going to prove it again so that I get into this Top 3. I want to be mentioned as well. I want to be recognized as well because I think I deserve it. I’ve had a lot of success on the tour and I just don’t get the credit.”
Krejcikova has a point. Since the start of 2020, only Swiatek (12) and Sabalenka (7) have won more titles than the Czech’s six. In Dubai, she became the fifth player in WTA history to defeat the reigning Top 3 in a single tournament. Swiatek has lost just two tournament finals since 2019. Both those losses came to Krejcikova.
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If Krejcikova feels slighted, she’s using it as fuel this week in Miami.
“It’s a big motivation,” Krejcikova said. “I don’t want to be forgotten somewhere in the shade of these three big players. They are playing well and are playing great, but I feel I’m playing well as well.
“I feel like I deserve the recognition from the media and I’m not getting it. I guess I just have to win more matches and prove to everybody that I’m there as well.”
On Monday, Krejcikova will face Sabalenka…