![Krejcikova emulates hero Novotna in three-set thriller](https://cdn.magzter.com/1591272633/1720929060/articles/ifWuJKAo21720937261991/KREJCIKOVA-EMULATES-HERO-NOVOTNA-IN-THREESET-THRILLER.jpg)
For a player so composed, gliding through shots with such picturesque ease and guile, the emotions stayed intact for Barbora Krejcikova as she claimed her first Wimbledon crown. On court, at least. The smile was difficult to wipe off her face as she received the Venus Rosewater Dish, amid the shining light of a rare day of southwest London sunshine. It was only when on-court interviewer Annabel Croft mentioned her mentor - the late, great Jana Novotna, champion of 1998 - that the sensations shifted.
The Czechs quite like it here at SW19. Twelve months on from Marketa Vondrousova's unfancied victory against a higher-seeded opponent and a decade since Petra Kvitova's second Wimbledon title, 31st seed Krejcikova upset the formbook again as she outlasted the spirited performance of Italian Jasmine Paolini in three momentum-shifting sets, 6-2 2-6 6-4. An eighth different women's singles champion in eight years.
As Krejcikova held her arms aloft in delight following a final game of high drama and shifting sands, it was a total state of shock for the 28-year-old, older than her opponent by just 17 days. It was shock that did not dissipate in the speech afterwards.
"I can't explain what I'm feeling right now... I still can't believe it," she said. "Two weeks ago, I won 7-5 in the third set in my first round, now I'm standing here - it's unbelievable."
She took the obligatory photos, still beaming on her Centre Court lap of honour. But it was when she left the stage, and saw her name alongside Novotna's on the honours board, that the tears quickly came. Krejcikova met her native hero at the age of 18, giving her a letter at her house as she asked for advice about her future. Novotna urged her to persevere with a career at the top, a few years before her sad death from ovarian cancer in 2017.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 14, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 14, 2024 من The Independent.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
![Bangladesh Interim Leader To Priorise Law And Order](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/nQhPLnXj91723615917856/crp_BANGLADESH-INTERIM-LEADER-TO-PRIORISE-LAW-AND-ORDER.jpg)
Bangladesh Interim Leader To Priorise Law And Order
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has declared his first priority is to secure law and order after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina left the country in a “complete mess”.
![Anderson suggests he may play on in white-ball game.](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/F3Jq4XF0G1723617666444/ANDERSON-SUGGESTS-HE-MAY-PLAY-ON-IN-WHITEBALL-GAME.jpg)
Anderson suggests he may play on in white-ball game.
Former England fast bowler James Anderson could be set to return to white-ball cricket after saying he feels he is still “good enough to play”.
![Stokes to miss Sri Lanka Tests after hamstring injury](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/AyGly8PP31723617596069/STOKES-TO-MISS-SRI-LANKA-TESTS-AFTER-HAMSTRING-INJURY.jpg)
Stokes to miss Sri Lanka Tests after hamstring injury
England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out for the rest of the summer after picking up an injury while playing in The Hundred on Sunday.
![How London's lure altered the Premier League gravity](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/4OmR1wl_W1723617469327/HOW-LONDONS-LURE-ALTERED-THE-PREMIER-LEAGUE-GRAVITY.jpg)
How London's lure altered the Premier League gravity
It is a refrain that many Premier League executives have become resigned to – at least in some areas of the country.
![Slot at risk of going too slow with Liverpool evolution](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/EaXk_CG0G1723617372047/SLOT-AT-RISK-OF-GOING-TOO-SLOW-WITH-LIVERPOOL-EVOLUTION.jpg)
Slot at risk of going too slow with Liverpool evolution
Last season had barely finished when one man at Anfield launched into a chorus of Arne Slot’s nam.
![Starbucks shares jump after coffee giant replaces CEO](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/-79GuOlaF1723617287521/STARBUCKS-SHARES-JUMP-AFTER-COFFEE-GIANT-REPLACES-CEO.jpg)
Starbucks shares jump after coffee giant replaces CEO
Starbucks shares soared yesterday after the coffee giant announced it had appointed Chipotle’s CEO to replace its own chief executive after less than two years on the job.
![STARTING OVER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/twDiI9F_C1723617179098/STARTING-OVER.jpg)
STARTING OVER
The former England star ponders his post-car-crash life as he tours India with a group of teenage cricketers in 'Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams On Tour'
![Inside the kidnapping of a British glamour model](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/THE-PfECX1723617010252/INSIDE-THE-KIDNAPPING-OF-A-BRITISH-GLAMOUR-MODEL.jpg)
Inside the kidnapping of a British glamour model
In 2017, Chloe Ayling was drugged and abducted - but no one believed her. Now, as a new BBC drama sets the record straight, screenwriter Georgia Lester talks to Ellie Harrison
![Unlimited standby flights are back with conditions -](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/NNtKNw-1R1723616910869/UNLIMITED-STANDBY-FLIGHTS-ARE-BACK-WITH-CONDITIONS-.jpg)
Unlimited standby flights are back with conditions -
Looking back, it is one of those inflight phenomena – like free cigars on Concorde or unrestricted flight-deck visits – that seems scarcely conceivable.
![We need to ban dogs from pubs - you know I'm right](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1799143/VYYEhCMXu1723616820110/WE-NEED-TO-BAN-DOGS-FROM-PUBS-YOU-KNOW-IM-RIGHT.jpg)
We need to ban dogs from pubs - you know I'm right
Why do people feel the need to drag their pooches out to bars and restaurants? Louis Chilton is about to hit the woof