With the strength of teacher Novotna: Krejcikova's great Paris coup
Barbora Krejcikova will play the surprise final of the French Open against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday afternoon. The Czech icon Jana Novotna, who died much too early, also played a major role in this.
by SID / tennisnet
last edit: Jun 11, 2021, 10:59 pm
Barbora Krejcikova looked deeply up at the sky. At the moment of her greatest success, the finalist of the French Open felt her former trainer Jana Novotna very close to her. She sent the Czech tennis icon, who died far too early, a few kisses and then said emotional words of thanks.
"Before and after every match, I have the feeling that she is there and takes care of me," said Krejcikova, who won 7: 5, 4: 6, 9: 7 in a highly dramatic duel against the Greek athlete Maria Sakkari achieved something sensational: "It's because of you that I'm here and it's really important to me to say it out loud."
Krejcikova can get the "double"
Krejcikova is the eighth unseeded player since the beginning of professional tennis in 1968, who advanced to the final in Roland Garros and now challenges the favorite Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from Russia on Saturday (3 p.m. / Eurosport and ServusTV). And on Friday she even went one better and made it into the double-finals with her partner Katerina Siniakova. There she could win the "double" for the first time since Mary Pierce in 2000.
She achieved the coup in singles with a high tennis IQ, which she countered with Sakkari's power. And she proved in the game over 3:18 hours that she can muster the mental strength of a champion. In the course of the tournament she had revealed that the enormous pressure with a major can cause problems for her too.
Krejcikova overcomes fear of the round of 16
After her round of 16 success against the American Sloane Stephens, Krejcikova had reported mental difficulties before the match. "I felt very stressed. I didn't want to go on the pitch half an hour before the game because I felt really bad," said the 25-year-old. She locked herself in the physio room and talked to her psychologist. She was afraid of not being good enough for matches on the same level.
Krejcikova managed to overcome her fear and mentally "just there" after reaching the finals, as she said: "I've really matured. I just appreciate things more. Especially after what I've been through, including this one." Pandemic and all. "
This includes the loss of Novotna, who died of cancer in 2017 at the age of only 49. Three years earlier, as a teen, Krejcikova had the courage to ring the doorbell of the former Wimbledon winner and ask her if she could help her as a trainer.
The time together gives her strength to this day. Krejcikova will think of Novotna again before the final.
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