Kreichkova
“My life changed thanks to my teacher.”
Barbora Krejcikova (28, Czech Republic) said this after lifting the Wimbledon Women’s Singles trophy for the first time in her life.
Krejcikova won the Wimbledon women’s singles final, defeating Jasmine Paolini (Italy) 2-1 at the All England Club in London, England on the 14th (Korean time).
In an interview on the court after the match, a question was asked about Czech tennis legend Jana Novotna.
“I think that day, the moment I knocked on Coach Novotna’s door, changed my life,” Krejchikova said. “At the time, my junior career was coming to an end, and I was contemplating whether I should continue as a professional athlete or study.”
He continued, “Coach Novotna told me that I had potential and that I should definitely become a pro.”
That’s how Novotna became Krejchikova’s coach.
Since then, Kreichkova’s growth rate has become steeper.
She reached the doubles final in her debut season on the WTA Tour in 2014, and won her first doubles title the following year.
Novotna, who not only taught Krejchikova tennis but also gave her much advice as a senior and friend in life, passed away suddenly from cancer in 2017.
It is said that Novotna left a will to the grieving Krejcikova, saying, “Go out and enjoy tennis and try to win a major tournament.”
Novotna, who like Krejcikova played both singles and doubles, won the singles title at Wimbledon in 1998.
Novotna sometimes advised the ‘young’ Krejcikova on how to approach things and what it takes to win on the big stage like Wimbledon.
He says that the advice that seemed distant at the time was a great help in his process of winning this competition.
“My coach told me before he passed away that I could win a major (singles) tournament,” Krejchikova said. “I achieved that dream in Paris (French Open) in 2021. Then, to win the same trophy as my coach at Wimbledon, which he won in 1998, is an unbelievable moment.”
Krejcikova and Novotna’s relationship was also in the spotlight when she won her first major singles title at the 2021 French Open, sweeping both singles and doubles 온라인카지노사이트