Andreeva’s Wimbledon Ambitions Halted by Krejcikova
The 2024 women’s singles champion secured a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, ending the teenager’s hopes of joining an elite group of players who have won both Roland Garros and Wimbledon singles titles before turning 20.
Only four women in the post-1968 Open era—Maureen Connolly, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert, and Steffi Graf—have achieved this feat. Andreeva, aiming to become the fifth, faced Barbora Krejcikova, a player who has already won both European grand slams.
Despite the loss, Andreeva enhanced her reputation as a determined competitor and skilled shot-maker, demonstrating many qualities essential for future success at Wimbledon.
Challenging Transition from Clay to Grass
The transition from clay to grass courts is notoriously difficult, but Andreeva’s quarter-final run last year suggested she could handle the surface well. However, facing Krejcikova, who matched her champion’s mindset, proved more challenging. The match remained tightly contested until Krejcikova clinched victory with a final net-cord winner after nearly three hours of play.
The deciding set featured a remarkable ninth game where Krejcikova served for the match at 5-3. Having recovered from a set down and a deficit in the second set, Krejcikova found her rhythm, particularly with her forehand, to break back and level the match.
At 40-0, Krejcikova earned her first match point but lost it after an overhead error by Andreeva. Subsequently, a forehand struck the net cord twice before landing on Krejcikova’s side, followed by a double fault from Krejcikova.
Andreeva then saved three more match points by aggressively targeting the lines with forehands, one of which was narrowly ruled in by the Close Call replay. Krejcikova eventually missed a weak second serve on the seventh advantage, allowing the set to return to serve and suggesting a potential tie-break.
However, Krejcikova summoned a final push to break Andreeva’s serve in the following game. Andreeva’s frustrated reaction included throwing her racket after a failed attempt to return a net-cord shot.
Krejcikova Reflects on the Victory
“The atmosphere was great and we’ve been fighting for almost three hours,” Krejcikova said. “What a match. I think this is the fifth time I’ve played with Mirra, and it’s always been a huge fight. She is such a young and unique player, she has everything in front of her.
“I’m really happy that we were able to put on a great show and that we were fighting until the final point, and I’m extremely proud that I’ve managed to win on this beautiful Centre Court.”
Krejcikova, who has dropped from a career-high No. 2 ranking in 2022 to No. 38 currently, aims to build on this win to regain her previous status.
“It’s definitely very special,” she added. “I’ve been through a lot with injuries and also in my personal life in the last couple of months, and it was really hard to get through with all the emotions and everything that happened. But I put in a lot of work and dedication every single day and try to go day by day.”
Andreeva’s Emotional Response
Andreeva was visibly emotional during the post-match press conference, struggling to process the narrow defeat.
“It’s going to take some time,” she said after pausing to compose herself. “I think she played well today. She’s a tricky opponent, especially to play against her on grass. She changes the rhythm a lot. The slices and drop shots, here they stay low, they don’t bounce. I’ve had some trouble with that, as well, [and] a lot of mistakes today also. She played well, but I felt like I could have also played better.
“I felt as soon as I won that [ninth] game, I had a lot of great chances to make the score even with my serve. I felt like yes, it could have been a turning point. As you can see, it didn’t work and it wasn’t the turning point in the end.”
