Barbora Krejčíková wins first Wimbledon title, defeating Jasmine Paolini in tense final

(CNN) — Barbora Krejčíková won her second grand slam and first Wimbledon title on Saturday, eventually overpowering Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2 2-6 6-4 in a thrilling women’s final.

The Czech has endured a difficult season, disrupted by injury and marked by a subsequent tumble down the world rankings, but all that faded away as she raised her arms to the sky in celebration and soaked in the applause of the crowd on Centre Court.

Though she initially raced to a one set lead, Krejčíková had to call on all her experience as a seven-time grand slam doubles champion and 2021 French Open champion in the face of Paolini’s spirited fightback.

The Italian, playing in her second consecutive grand slam final, dragged the match to a deciding set and fended off two championship points before Krejčíková sealed victory at her third attempt, sparking emotional celebrations.

She bounded into her box and was mobbed by her team before telling the crowd in an on-court interview that it was “the best day” of her life.

“I was telling myself to be brave … It was such a difficult match, such a great final, such a great competition and I enjoyed it so much and I’m super happy that I’m standing here and I can enjoy this moment,” she said.

“I think nobody really believes it. I don’t think anyone will believe that I got to the final and that I won Wimbledon. I still can’t believe it … I am standing here and I am a Wimbledon winner!”

By winning Wimbledon, Krejčíková emulated her late coach and mentor Jana Novotná who won here in 1998 and passed away from cancer in 2017.

“Jana was the one that told me I had the potential and that I should definitely turn pro and try to make it. Before she passed away she told me to win a slam … I never dreamed that I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998,” Krejčíková said.

A hard-fought final

Before this year, Paolini had never won a match at Wimbledon but such has been her meteoric rise this season that her presence in the final was not entirely unexpected.

Although she made history as the first Italian woman to ever reach the Wimbledon final, it was ultimately another heartbreak for the 28-year-old coming just a month after she lost the French Open final too.

There, Paolini lost to Iga Świątek in straight sets and she seemed in danger of slipping to the same result on Saturday when Krejčíková produced a powerful display to dominate the first set.

The Czech player enjoyed the best possible start, breaking Paolini in the first game before consolidating that break with a hold to love.

Although Paolini stemmed the tide, holding in a mammoth game that featured four deuces, Krejčíková’s onslaught kept coming, her powerful groundstrokes piling the pressure on Paolini who often found herself several steps behind the baseline or off the court. So when Krejčíková sealed the first set in just 35 minutes, it seemed that she was on course for a comprehensive win.

But, suddenly, Paolini began the second set with a fresh injection of energy and the entire complexion of the match changed. Employing a more offensive approach, the Italian broke Krejčíková immediately and raced to a 3-0 lead. With the pressure mounting on the Czech player, she double faulted twice in a row and conceded another two break points but somehow managed to claw her way back into the game and get onto the scoreboard in the second set.

Where Krejčíková’s powerful first serve and groundstrokes had dominated the first set, it was Paolini’s exceptional movement that dictated play in the second, allowing her to stay in, and win, points that seemed lost.

“To see this stadium full it’s a dream come true, to play here in this stage. I would like to congratulate Barbora, you played unbelievable,” Paolini said afterwards on court.

“I try to keep smiling because I have to remember that today is still a good day. I was looking at the TV as a kid, looking at the finals cheering for Federer. I have to say to be here right now, it’s crazy.”

With so much at stake in the third set, both players became more cautious and the match rested on a knife edge until 3-3 when Krejčíková engineered two break points and converted one of them to take the lead.

Then, she served for the championship and had a championship point but Paolini still fought back, and even had a break point to level the set. But Krejčíková’s experience eventually told and she sealed an impressive, hard-fought win.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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