Barbora Krejcikova remembers late idol Jana Novotna who “changed her life” as she follows her path to win Wimbledon 2024 title

Krejcikova expressed joy at replicating her mentor's success on the hallowed Wimbledon lawns.

Barbora Krejcikova remembers late idol Jana Novotna who “changed her life” as she follows her path to win Wimbledon 2024 title

Barbora Krejcikova and Jana Novotna (images via Imago)

Barbora Krejcikova triumphed over Jasmine Paolini in an exciting women’s singles final to clinch her maiden Wimbledon title and her second Grand Slam. After the match, she got emotional during her speech when talking about her mentor, the late Jana Novotna.

Krejcikova was mentored by compatriot and former World No. 2 Novotna. She visited the late great seeking advice during her junior days when she was unsure about pursuing tennis professionally. She reminisced how Novotna pushed her to pursue the sport seeing her potential when she doubted herself.

Her win at SW19 came 26 years after Novotna triumphed on the Centre Court of Wimbledon in 1998, making her triumph all the more special. She also spoke about the promise she had made of winning a Grand Slam title, which she has fulfilled twice now.

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During the period when I finished juniors I didn’t know if I should play pro or go the way of education. Jana was the one who told me I had the potential and that I should definitely turn pro and try to make it. Before she passed away she told me to go and win a Slam, I achieved it already in Paris in 2021 and it was an unbelievable moment for me. I never dreamed I’d win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.

Barbora Krejcikova said in her on-court interview

Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam that Novotna managed to win and lifting the same trophy as her and seeing her name next to her mentor’s on the display screen made Krejcikova emotional. She admitted to missing Novotna, who sadly passed away in 2017 at the age of 49.

In an incredible feat, Barbora Krejcikova defeats four top fifteen opponents in a row en route to her first Wimbledon title

Barbora-Krejcikova_Wimbledon-trophy
Barbora Krejcikova with her Wimbledon trophy (Image via Imago)

Coming into Wimbledon, Barbora Krejcikova was in a bit of a slump as she had lost more than half the matches she had played this year. She had only seven wins this season when she landed in London. She had also fallen out of the Top 30 in the WTA rankings after being ranked as high as World No. 2 just two years ago.

However, Krejcikova found her form at the grass Major and won seven matches in a row to claim her maiden Wimbledon title. Adding weight to this win is the astonishing fact that she had to face four Top 15 players — Danielle Collins, Jelena Ostapenko, 2022 winner Elena Rybakina, and Jasmine Paolini — in four consecutive rounds.

The World No. 32 overcame all the players to record one of the best results of her career. After a rocky start to the tournament, she was never expected to make it deep into the tournament but the 28-year-old has beaten all odds to script history.

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