This time, she is the only one to take the light.
Czech surprise Barbora Krejcikova won the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup this Saturday afternoon, dominating Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (6-1, 2-6, 6-4).
Here is what you need to know about this doubles specialist, 33rd in singles at the ATP and winner at Roland Garros for her fifth solo participation in a Grand Slam.
First a queen of doubles
Barbora Prejcikova has therefore already won five Grand Slam tournaments. Two in ladies' doubles (Roland Garros, Wimbledon in 2018) with her compatriot Katerina Siniakova and three in mixed doubles, all at the US Open, with the American Rajeev Ram (2019, 2021) and the Croatian Nikola Mektić (2020) . “I think playing a lot of doubles, and also mixed doubles, on the big courts, in the big stadiums, I think that's what helps me right now. I've never really played singles on these courts, but I have experience in doubles, which helps me, ”she said after the third round against Svitolina, 6th in the world.
Relentless 😳
Less than 24 hours after winning the longest #RolandGarros women's singles semi-final in the Open Era, Barbora Krejcikova is back at it.
She and partner Katerina Siniakova are one set away from reaching the doubles final.
pic.twitter.com/izP6IssTpK
- Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 11, 2021
The Czech has not finished with this 2021 edition since she will try the double this Sunday with her long-time partner, Siniakova, against the Polish world number one Iga Swiatek and the American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
She would be the first woman to achieve this since Mary Pierce in 2000.
An express ascent in singles
It may sound crazy for a 25-year-old player, winner of her first Grand Slam.
But since her professional debut in 2014, the Czech had so far played only four Majors, two in Paris, two in Melbourne.
She has yet to make her way into the main tournament via qualifying at Wimbledon and the US Open.
115th two more years ago, she has been progressing at a constant speed until this golden spring, where she beat her first top 5 in Rome (Sofia Kenin) in mid-May, then won her first ATP tournament in Strasbourg in the aftermath. .
Thanks to this triumph on Saturday in Paris, she will reach the 15th WTA rank on Monday, the best ranking of her career.
On the verge of abandonment before his round of 16
History will remember above all that she saved a match point in the semi-final against the Greek Maria Sakkari, but a few days earlier, a psychological failure almost cut short the tournament of the Czech. The minutes before the start of her round of 16 against the American Sloane Stephens, Roland-Garros finalist in 2018 and winner of the US Open 2017, Krejcikova thought of retiring.
“I don't know what happened today,” she told the press at the time.
I woke up this morning and felt terrible.
I don't know why, I was very stressed.
Thirty minutes before the game, I didn't even want to go out on the court, because I felt very, very bad.
I went to see the physiotherapist, I went to see the psychologist, I was in tears (…) We talked about it a lot.
My psychologist told me, you have to be able to overcome your emotions.
It will be a great victory for you.
Whether you lose or win on the court, it will be a personal victory ”.
We know the rest.
A thought for his first coach, Jana Novotna
It was a ritual during the fortnight, and she spoke with tears in her eyes after the final.
Barbora Krejcikova continues to dedicate her recent successes to her compatriot and former coach Jana Novotna, Wimbledon champion in 1998 and who died in 2017 at the age of 49 from cancer.
“His last words to me were 'Try to win a Grand Slam'.
I know she's looking at me up there.
She inspired me.
I miss her a lot.
I hope she is happy, ”she said on Saturday.
Jana & Barbora
A special, unbreakable bond ❤️ # RolandGarros |
@BKrejcikova pic.twitter.com/lVpEhHZSMI
- Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 12, 2021
It is with this icon that she grew up tennis.
Third in the world for juniors at the end of 2013, she was struggling to break through when, with her mother, she went to ring at Novotna, based not far from Brno, her hometown.
"I went there, I had a letter, and I met her in her garden," Krejcikova told the New York Times in 2018. And she was like
Whoa, who are these people?
And I told her that I was a tennis player and had just turned 18, and that maybe you could look at me or help me figure out what my potential tennis level could be.
"
A whole nation behind her
Jana Novotna is not the only legend watching over her.
Czech-born American Martina Navratilova, the second most successful player in women's tennis history behind Australian champion Margaret Smith Court, with no less than 18 singles titles, was present in her box during the half. final.
The same goes for Jan Kodes, winner in 1970 and 1971.
Czechs who cashed in at Roland Garros!
(Jan Kodes in 1970 and Martina Navratilova in 1982 and 1984) pic.twitter.com/MQEHbYxbml
- Randy Walker (@TennisPublisher) June 12, 2021
“When I was a little girl, I grew up in a city where we didn't have a coach. I didn't think I would ever play professionally. I always thought:
I have fun, I like to play on the court, to train
. It was something that I just loved. I was never forced to go to the court. I never thought of embracing this career ”, she assured in conference during the fortnight. Today, a whole country supports it. The Czech Republic had not won the Parisian Grand Slam since 1981 and Hana Mandlikova. “I think the Czech Republic is a country that loves tennis. It is a country of sportsmen, they love sport very much, it is very pleasant. "
