Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-2 2-6 6-4 to secure the 2024 Wimbledon women’s singles title on Saturday as she made tennis history for Czechia, paying an emotional tribute to her late ex-coach in her speech.
The 31st-seed was an underdog going into the final – against a player ranked 25 places above her – but has now become the first player from the Czech Republic to secure women’s singles titles at different Grand Slams in the Open Era.
It continues Czechia’s dominance in SW19 with Krejcikova, who has won every Grand Slam in doubles, securing back-to-back women’s singles titles for the country after Marketa Vondrousova’s sensational unseeded triumph in 2023.
It also marks considerable pain for world No.7 Paolini – who missed the chance to become Italy’s first-ever title winner in singles at the Championships – and has now brutally lost the French Open and Wimbledon finals back-to-back in 2024.
Krejcikova, meanwhile, has become the latest Czech woman to win Wimbledon following Vondrousova, Petra Kvitova and her late mentor Jana Novotna.
Krejcikova, who has recorded the second major singles title of her career after her 2021 French Open triumph, paid an emotional tribute to Novotna following her win over Paolini after her former coach tragically died of cancer back in 2017.
Novotna won Wimbledon in 1998 which inspired a young Krejcikova to knock on her door with a letter as the Wimbledon winner explained the story on the court.
‘Coming to Jana, knocking on her door, giving her the letter… everything that happened during that moment just changed my life,’ Krejcikova said.
‘It definitely changed my tennis life. During the period when I finished juniors, I didn’t know what I should do. I didn’t know if I should play pro or go the way of education.
‘Jana was the one who 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 go and win a Slam.
‘I achieved it already in Paris in 2021. It was an unbelievable moment for me. I never dreamed I’d win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.’
Krejcikova was in tears while taking the traditional photo in front of all the names of previous champions at the All England Club when Debbie Jevans pointed out Novotna. ‘This is once in a lifetime… like, I wanna look good!’ Krejcikova added.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Ashleigh Barty told the BBC: ‘Krejcikova and Novotna will forever be connected here. Jana was so generous with her time. It was incredible.’
Meanwhile, runner-up Paolini, quizzed about becoming the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final, said: ‘The last two months have been crazy for me.
‘I want to thank my team and family. They always support me and believe in me. Without them I wouldn’t be here.
‘Thank you very much. The crowd has been amazing these two weeks. I received a lot of support. Just incredible to feel the love from them. I enjoyed so much.’
It was a fascinating battle between Krejcikova and Paolini with pundit Barty commenting in the first set that it was ‘two different game styles’ that were ‘directly competing against each other’.
Krejcikova took the first set 6-2 but Paolini massively went up a level in the second, clinching it 6-2 to force a dramatic decider on a packed Centre Court.
It was Krejcikova who held her nerve in the third and final set, taking it 6-4 to write her name into Czech tennis history and follow in her hero’s footsteps.
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