Barbora Krejcikova into Wimbledon semi-finals after grim run

LONDON – Barbora Krejcikova reached the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time on July 10 with a straight-set victory over fellow former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, as the Czech turned the corner on a testing season.

Krejcikova, the 31st seed, overcame the 27-year-old Latvian 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in 1 hour and 40 minutes, and will face 2022 champion Elena Rybakina on July 11 for a place in the final.

“I told myself that I’m going to leave here everything I have and I’m really happy that I did and it’s a great moment for me,” said Krejcikova, who saw the 13th-seeded Ostapenko undone by 35 unforced errors.

“It’s an unbelievable moment that I’m experiencing right now in my tennis career.”

Victory for the 28-year-old Krejcikova comes after a miserable run in 2024. She was off tour for two months with a back injury and then illness. Her run to the Birmingham quarter-final in June allowed her to celebrate match wins for the first time since Abu Dhabi in February.

“It was a very, very difficult period. It was actually super difficult even before this tournament. I really want to thank my team that is there today,” said Krejcikova.

“There have been many doubts from inside, but also from the outside world. But I’m super happy that I never give up and that I’m standing here right now and that I qualified to be in the semi-finals.”

On July 10, Krejcikova claimed the only break of the opening set to lead 2-1 and swept ahead on the back of winning 95 per cent of first-serve points.

Ostapenko, who had defeated Krejcikova in the Birmingham grass-court final last season, finally broke through in the fourth game of the second set for a 3-1 lead and backed it up with a hold. However, the 2018 Wimbledon semi-finalist went dramatically off the boil as Krejcikova reeled off the next four games for a 5-4 lead.

Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros winner, clung on to break the Czech in the 10th game, but 2021 French Open champion Krejcikova played the more composed tiebreak to seal the victory.

In another quarter-final, fourth seed Rybakinba crushed Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-2. The Moscow-born Kazakh broke the 21st seed four times in a match lasting just 61 minutes on Centre Court.

Rybakina was broken in the first game in front of the watching Queen Camilla, but hit back straight away and barely put a foot wrong after that.

“It’s always tough to play against Elina, she’s a great player, great fighter. No matter the score, it is not as easy as it might look like,” the 25-year-old said.

“Of course, I have such amazing memories from 2022 and I’m just enjoying every time I step on the court, especially when I play good. It’s just really amazing.”

Rybakina, the highest-ranking player left in the women’s draw, said she did not like to be labelled as the favourite, adding: “I have an aggressive style of game, I have a huge serve so it’s a big advantage.”

In the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic had an easier path to the last four after Alex de Minaur pulled out of their quarter-final on July 10 due to a hip injury. The Australian’s withdrawal sent second seed Djokovic into a record-equalling 13th semi-final at Wimbledon.

De Minaur sustained the injury in the closing stages of his 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 last-16 win over Frenchman Arthur Fils on July 8.

“I’m devastated to pull out due to a hip injury, a little tear of the fibre cartilage that is at the end of or connects to the adductor,” said the ninth seed, who stunned Djokovic at the United Cup team tournament in the opening week of the season.

“I felt a loud crack during the last three points of my match against Fils and got a scan yesterday. It confirmed this was the injury and with high risk of making it worse if I was to step on court.”

Should Djokovic play his semi-final on July 12, he will match Roger Federer’s appearance record, but the Serb will also be looking beyond and match the Swiss great’s tally of eight titles at the All England Club. AFP, REUTERS