BARBORA KREJCIKOVA WINS WIMBLEDON WOMEN'S SINGLES TITLE WITH BREATHLESS VICTORY AGAINST JASMINE PAOLINI - AS SHE SURVIVES REMARKABLE COMEBACK TO LIFT SECOND GRAND SLAM OF HER CAREER
Barbora Krejcikova held her nerve to survive a sensational comeback from Jasmine Paolini and claim the Wimbledon women's singles title.
The 28-year-old Czech star won the second Grand Slam of her career after her French Open triumph in 2021.
A fascinating encounter ended 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 as SW19 saw a new champion for the seventh year running.
In a rip-roaring first set, Krejcikova dominated Paolini with a flurry of crushing forehands and her superb versatility of shots.
The Czech star broke the Italian twice and had a 90 per cent fist serve percentage as she took the first set in just 35 minutes.
But, after a seemingly magical toilet break, Paolini came out with renewed confidence and took the first three games of the second set as the match looked unrecognisable.
Coming further inside the court helped Paolini gain control of the match and she, too, broke her opponent twice on her way to a 6-2 thumping set victory.
A match that looked like it was going to be over in a flash after the first set had assumed a compelling new complexion as Paolini entered the final set in the ascendancy.
Both stars were on serve for the first six games of the final set until Krejcikova took the seventh game following a double fault from Paolini.
The Italian was regretting that error as Krejcikova went on to win her next service game to make it 5-3.
Paolini did her job to take her next service game and made things hard in the final skirmish, taking Krejcikova to deuce four times, but the Czech star fought through to make history.
Read more 2024-07-13T15:21:55Z