Of all the players qualified this season for the WTA Finals 2024 in Riyadh, perhaps it was Barbora Krejcikova who raised the most questions. Starting with those wondering why the Czech is there when she is currently ranked No. 13 in the women’s rankings. However, her title at Wimbledon and her presence in the top 20 have earned her the reward of joining the rest of the masters, delivering a more than decent performance so far compared to the not very hopeful expectations among fans. This is the nature of modern tennis, where even those rackets that seem less dangerous are capable of causing surprises and challenging any opponent on the other side of the net.

One example is the match played last Sunday against Iga Swiatek who had to fight hard to come back against the Czech. This Tuesday, in her second match of the tournament, things ended much better for her, as she defeated Jessica Pegula in straight sets, leaving Pegula with no mathematical chance to advance to the semifinals. “I really enjoyed this match, I couldn’t be more satisfied with how I played today, the most important thing is that the goal was achieved, I won the match and I still have chances,” said the Brno native after the match in an interview with the WTA.

“As I always say, one of the keys is to fight for every ball, which I did once again. I would say that, at times, I was able to show my best tennis, trying to be very solid on every point, in every game, getting as many balls as possible to the other side of the court. For all this, I am very happy now,” added the woman who previously appeared in the 2021 WTA Finals in Guadalajara but failed to win a single match in the group stage, losing to Kontaveit, Muguruza, and Pliskova. Therefore, it has been at the fifth opportunity that luck finally turned in her favor, to the point that the numbers indicate she has a chance to advance to the semifinals.

A SEASON DEFINED BY WIMBLEDON

And what does she need to do to reach the semifinals? Very simple, win on Thursday against Coco Gauff, though this does not seem to be the easiest plan, as the American remains unbeaten after defeating both Pegula and Swiatek in straight sets. All thanks to the success she achieved this summer, where surprisingly she managed to arrive at Wimbledon without any rhythm or confidence, yet emerged as the champion after a dream fortnight. An event that salvages an entire season where she has barely accumulated 20 wins.

“I am very proud of that title, of course, proud to have made it to this tournament, one of the most important of the season,” said the Czech when asked about the merit of qualifying for an event where only the best qualify. “Lifting the Wimbledon trophy is an indescribable feeling, it cannot be explained in words, it’s what brought me here, competing with the best in the world, which is also a real privilege. It is a luxury to be part of this event,” celebrates Krejcikova two days before putting everything on the line against Gauff.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Krejcikova: “Por momentos he vuelto a sacar mi mejor tenis”