Czech 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova secured a place in the Wimbledon final against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini after staging a comeback to defeat former champion Elena Rybakina with a surprising 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Paolini had overcome a tearful Donna Vekic from Croatia with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) win in the longest women’s semi-final at the All England Club, setting the stage for Krejcikova’s own hard-fought battle against fourth-seeded Rybakina on Centre Court. The match lasted two hours and seven minutes.
Krejcikova, who won the French Open in 2021 and reached the Australian Open quarter-finals earlier in 2024, described her joy and fighting spirit after the match, highlighting her resilience following a challenging period marked by injury and illness that had impacted her form leading up to Wimbledon.
The Czech player’s impressive run included victories over 11th seed Danielle Collins and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in earlier rounds, setting up her showdown with Rybakina.
Reflecting on her unexpected journey to the final, Krejcikova expressed disbelief and overwhelming emotions, particularly noting her focused mindset during critical moments in the match against Rybakina.
Rybakina, who had a strong Wimbledon record and won the tournament in 2022, started the semi-final strongly but was unable to maintain her momentum against Krejcikova’s determined performance, ultimately succumbing to a spirited comeback by her opponent.
Meanwhile, Paolini, ranked seventh in the world, continued her remarkable Wimbledon campaign, having never won a main draw match at the tournament before this year. Her victory over Vekic marked her second consecutive Grand Slam final appearance following her runner-up finish at the French Open last month, making her the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon final.
Paolini acknowledged the surreal nature of her achievement, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to compete at Wimbledon and reflecting on her journey from watching finals as a child to now battling for the title on the prestigious grass courts.
Vekic, who struggled with physical discomfort during her semi-final, fought bravely but was emotional after the match, citing pain and exhaustion as contributing factors to her defeat.
Overall, the stage is set for an exciting Wimbledon final between Krejcikova and Paolini, each bringing their unique stories of perseverance and breakthrough performances to the forefront of women’s tennis.
