Skip to content

Wimbledon: Barbora Krejcikova wins second Grand Slam title with victory over Jasmine Paolini on Centre Court

Czech Barbora Krejcikova emulated mentor Jana Novotna as she won her maiden Wimbledon title with victory against Jasmine Paolini in three sets; you can follow updates from Wimbledon by heading to our live blog or live scores page

Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia poses with the Ladies' Singles Trophy following victory against Jasmine Paolini of Italy during her Ladies' Singles Final match during day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Image: Czech Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini to win her maiden Wimbledon title

Barbora Krejcikova sealed her maiden Wimbledon title after holding off Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2 2-6 6-4 on Centre Court on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Czech squandered two match points in a tension-filled final game before taking her third to wrap up a famous victory in an hour and 56 minutes, adding the Venus Rosewater Dish to her French Open title in 2021.

Krejcikova's win comes 26 years after Novotna won her only Grand Slam title, lifting the trophy she most wanted having famously cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent five years previously following defeat by Steffi Graf.

Novotna took a teenage Krejcikova under her wing but died of cancer in 2017 aged 49 before she could see her protege flourish in the professional game.

"Knocking on her door changed my life," said Krejcikova. "When I finished juniors I didn't know whether to continue or go the way of education. Jana was the one who told me I had the potential to go pro.

"Before she passed away she told me to go and win a Slam. I did in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me. I never believed I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998."

Wimbledon was guaranteed an eighth different champion in the women's singles in the last eight years and it was Krejcikova, who defeated 2022 winner Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals, who flew out of the traps.

Also See:

The 28-year-old was playing in her 13th slam final across singles and doubles and had lost only one, so it was no surprise to see her thrive on the big occasion, finding the corners of the court and serving superbly.

Actor Hugh Jackman was sat among a number of former Wimbledon champions in the Royal Box, and the crowd were fully behind Paolini as she tried to mount a comeback.

But it took a huge effort from the Italian just to get on the board in the third game, and Krejcikova wasted no time wrapping up the set, missing only two of 21 first serves.

Pursuit of greatness


Barbora Krejcikova is the second-lowest ranked player (world No 32) to secure the Women’s Singles title at Wimbledon since the WTA Rankings were published in 1975

Two different players from the same country have won consecutive women's singles titles at the Championships for the first time since 2008 (Venus Williams) and 2009 (Serena Williams)

Krejcikova is the fourth player in the Open Era, with 13+ women's singles major appearances between their first two Grand Slam titles after Mary Pierce (20), Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (19) and Svetlana Kuznetsova (18)

Paolini, who had only won three games in her final against Iga Swiatek in Paris, headed off court for a bathroom break and the momentum immediately switched on the resumption.

Paolini surged into a 3-0 lead, finding greater depth and vim on her shots and drawing some errors from the Krejcikova racket.

The Italian's smiley demeanour and positive energy have earned her huge numbers of fans this summer and half the crowd were on their feet when she levelled the match.

Now it was Krejcikova's turn to head off court for a break and the tension ratcheted up as both held serve comfortably in the early stages of the third set.

Paolini was the first to find herself under pressure in the seventh game and it told, a couple of errors putting her in a hole before a double fault handed the break to Krejcikova.

The Czech had dropped just one point on serve in her first four games in the deciding set but there were nerves trying to finish it off and she had to save two break points before clinching it on her third match point.

Krejcikova said: "I don't have any words right now. It's unreal what just happened. The best day of my tennis career and the best day of my life.

"It's super difficult to explain what I'm feeling right now. I'd like to congratulate Jasmine and her team. It was a great final. At the end I was the lucky one. It's amazing what she has achieved in such a short period.

"I was just telling myself to be brave. It was such a difficult match, a great final, a great competition and I'm super happy to be standing here enjoying this moment.

"I think nobody's going to believe I won Wimbledon. I still can't believe it. Two weeks ago I had a very tough match, 7-5 in the third set and I wasn't in good shape.

"I was injured and ill and didn't have a good start to the season and now I'm Wimbledon winner. How did that happen?"

Paolini, clutching her second Grand Slam runners-up trophy, said: "To play here is a dream come true. Congrats Barbora you played unbelievable. You play such beautiful tennis.

"The last two months have been crazy for me. Thanks to my team and my family for supporting me and always believing in me.

"The crowd has been amazing this two weeks. I received a lot of support and it was incredible to feel the love from them.

"I'm a little bit sad but I try to keep smiling. I have to remember today is still a good day. I remember watching as a kid cheering for (Roger) Federer. So to be here now is crazy. It's been a beautiful two weeks."

Krejcikova will return to the singles top 10 on Monday - with Paolini at a career-high of five - while she becomes the first woman representing the Czech Republic to win slam titles across different surfaces.

Krejcikova vs Paolini: Tale of the Tape

Krejcikova Match Stats Paolini
6 Aces 3
4 Double Faults 1
73% 1st serve win percentage 61%
57% 2nd serve win percentage 61%
11/16 Net points won 12/16
3/7 Break points won 2/6
28 Total winners 19
37 Unforced errors 23
85 Total points won 76

What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours

In the run-up to the final Grand Slam of 2024 - the US Open - you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the hard-court season.

  • Hamburg Open (ATP 500) 15-21 July
  • Newport Hall of Fame Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
  • Swiss Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
  • Bastad Open (ATP 250) 15-21 July
  • Palermo Ladies Open (WTA 250) 15-21 July
  • Hungarian Grand Prix (WTA 250) 15-21 July
  • Prague Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
  • Iasi Open (WTA 250) 21-26 July
  • Umag Open (ATP 250) 21-26 July

Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.

Around Sky