Barbora Krejcikova clinched her second Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon on Saturday, paying an emotional tribute to her late mentor, Jana Novotna, during her victory speech. The Czech 31st seed triumphed over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, ranked seventh, with a score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, adding the prestigious Wimbledon title to her 2021 French Open victory.

Krejcikova’s win comes 26 years after Novotna, who passed away from cancer in 2017, claimed her Wimbledon title. Speaking on Centre Court, Krejcikova recalled seeking guidance from Novotna early in her career. “Well, I think that day, knocking on her door, it changed my life,” she said. Novotna encouraged Krejcikova to turn professional, a decision that led to her first Grand Slam win in Paris in 2021. Reflecting on her mentor’s influence, Krejcikova added, “Before she passed away, she told me I can win a Slam.”

The victory was hard-fought, with Krejcikova surviving a tense final game to secure the title on her third championship point. “It’s unreal what just happened. The best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life,” she remarked. Despite a challenging season marked by injury and illness, Krejcikova’s resilience saw her rise to the top, earning her a return to the top 10 in the rankings.

Meanwhile, Paolini, who had never won a grass-court match before last month, expressed her mixed emotions, saying, “I’m a little bit sad but I try to keep smiling. I have to remember today is still a good day.”

Barbora Krejcikova in 2024

Ranked no.32, the Czech played her last match on the 13^th of July when she defeated world no.7 Jasmine Paolini 6-2 2-6 6-4 in the final in Wimbledon to win her 8^th career title.

Currently, during this year the Czech achieved an overall 14-9 record. Barbora has won 1 title in Wimbledon.