Czech 31st seed Barbora Krejcikova is set to take on Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon final, following her remarkable comeback for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over former champion Elena Rybakina on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Paolini had triumphed over a tearful Donna Vekic of Croatia in a marathon 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) match, which was the longest women's semifinal at the All England Club. Krejcikova then showcased her resilience, securing her win against fourth-seeded Rybakina in a two-hour-and-seven-minute battle on Centre Court.
Krejcikova, who is now 28, will face seventh-seeded Paolini on Saturday in her second Grand Slam final, her first being the French Open victory in 2021. "I'm so proud about my game and my fighting spirit today," Krejcikova expressed.
The Czech player began 2024 strongly, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, but suffered a setback with a first-round exit at the French Open. She faced challenges with a back injury and illness, managing only three singles wins in the preceding five months before her standout performance at Wimbledon.
Krejcikova's journey through the tournament included surprising victories over 11th seed Danielle Collins and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, setting the stage for her match against Rybakina. As a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion, she is now on the brink of an unexpected singles triumph.
"Unbelievable. It is very tough to explain, but a lot of joy and a lot of emotions," Krejcikova remarked. "When I broke her in the second set, I started to be in the zone and I didn't want to leave the zone."
Rybakina, who had been in top form, had only dropped one set in her 19 out of 21 matches at the All England Club. The 25-year-old, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, dominated the first set with a quick 4-0 lead. However, Krejcikova turned the match around in the second set, securing a crucial break in the sixth game and leveling the match on her sixth set point.
With the momentum in her favor, Krejcikova ultimately overcame Rybakina, who had made over 35 unforced errors by the time she lost her serve in the seventh game of the final set.
