Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in a three-set thriller in the Wimbledon women’s final Saturday 6-2, 2-6 6-4. The showdown on Wimbledon's famed Centre Court capped what had been a gripping ladies draw.
Krejcikova added a second Grand Slam trophy to her mantle that includes the 2021 French Open singles championship, while Paolini had been gunning for her first major title while. The bookmakers had listed Krejcikova as a slight favorite.
"I don't have any words right now. I don't have any words. It's just unbelievable," Krejcikova said. "It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and also the best day of my life. It’s super difficult to explain what I’m feeling right now."
Paolini reached her second consecutive Grand Slam final via a grueling, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) semifinal win over Donna Vekić on Thursday.
The first Italian to ever reach a Wimbledon singles final, Paolini, was likely running on fumes following that penultimate match which lasted 2 hours and 51 minutes.
Paolini said Saturday that she was "a little bit sad."
"I try to, you know, keep smiling because I have to remember that today is still a good day," she said.
The 28-year-old said it was "crazy" to think she had made it to Wimbledon.
"I think I enjoyed every moment here," she added. "It's been a beautiful two weeks."
Krejcikova fought back tears after her win Thursday over Elena Rybakina, saying she couldn't shake memories of her mentor and friend Jana Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon singles winner who was just 49 when she died of cancer in 2017.
The No. 31-seeded Krejcikova wiped away tears and told fans after the match: “I just miss her (Novotna) very much, I miss her so much.”
She said Saturday that having Novotna as her mentor “changed my life.”
“Jana was the one who told me that I have the potential and that I should definitely turn pro,” Krejcikova said. “Before she passed away she told me to go and win a Slam and I mean, I achieved that in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me. And I never really dreamed that I would win the same trophy as Jana did.”
The last American woman left standing at Wimbledon this summer was Emma Navarro, a former University of Virginia star who was knocked out of the quarterfinals by Paolini.
Serena Williams was the last U.S. woman to win the Wimbledon singles title, taking home the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2015 and 2016.
