Paolini vs Krejcikova in Wimbledon Women's Final

Krejcikova, ranked No. 31 in London, beat world No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the semifinals 3:6:6:3:6:4. The 2021 French Open winner is now on her second Grand Slam title. For Paolini, success at this level would be a first. Williams reached the Wimbledon final in 2016 shortly after the final in Paris.

At first it didn't look like the Italian would make it. On a sunny afternoon after the rainy days at Wimbledon, Vekic initially dominated with her strong play. In front of around 15,000 spectators on Centre Court, she won the first set in her first Grand Slam semifinal with two breaks at 3:2 and 5:2. Vekic, who had been considering taking a break from tennis just before the French Open, was unable to capitalize on the first set she won, nor was she able to capitalize on her lead in the third round.

The 1.63m Italian fought her way back time and time again and actually took match point at 5:4 and 6:5. But she was ultimately unable to assert herself until the tiebreak. It was the longest women's semi-final in Wimbledon history. Vekic was already crying during the match, and an hour later she was still looking very shaken at the obligatory press conference. Vekic complained of problems with her arm and leg. “I cried because I was in so much pain. I don't know how I managed to continue playing.”

For Paolini, that effort has paid off. “I will always remember this match. The last few months have been crazy for me,” she said. “It’s a dream.” Her steep path to the top of the world is impressive. Before the 2024 season, the Italian had never made it past the second round at any Grand Slam. Now she has a second chance at a Grand Slam title, a good month after a final defeat in Paris to Pole Iga Swiatek. At Wimbledon she had not won a main draw match in three attempts.

Krejcikova could follow in the footsteps of compatriot Marketa Vondrousova, who won the grass classic last year. After her 2022 win in southwest London, Rybakina was considered the favorite and got off to a fast start. Krejcikova managed to make the match more even in the second set and finally managed to turn things around. In the seventh game of the third set, she managed to break the decisive break.

“It’s unbelievable,” Krejcikova said. “It’s very difficult to explain how I feel right now. I’m very proud of my game and my fighting spirit.” Her former coach Jana Novotná recalled. Krejcikova turned away during the interview on Centre Court to hide her feelings. “I miss her so much,” she said at the time. Novotná won Wimbledon in 1998. She died of cancer in 2017 at the age of just 49.