Krejcikova thanks all for success

PARIS • In these pandemic times, friends, family and fans are super important to an athlete.

That was the message from both finalists yesterday, as Barbora Krejcikova won the French Open after defeating Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

For Krejcikova, 25, of the Czech Republic, the win marked the highlight of a late-blooming but suddenly exploding career, and capped a surprising tournament in which so many of the strongest players withdrew, retired, or were defeated early.

"I just want to thank everyone for coming today and cheering for us. It was the biggest support and the biggest energy," she said, with Court Philippe-Chatrier allowed up to 5,000 fans due to Covid-19 restrictions. "In these bad times, it is very nice to see you all here. The atmosphere was amazing. I'm super happy I was able to enjoy it.

"I want to thank all of them - my coach, my physio, my friends... It is hard to put into words because I cannot believe I actually won a Grand Slam.

"And everyone back home, I really want to thank them for giving me courage to step on this court, to fight for every single ball, and making my dreams come true."

Krejcikova was not seeded at this tournament but was a sentimental favourite, capturing the crowd's heart with her emotional post-match speeches filled with words of inspiration and tributes to her mentor and role model, the former Czech champion Jana Novotna, who died of cancer at 49 in 2017.

"I spent a lot of time with Jana before she died. Her last words to me were 'enjoy tennis and try and win a Grand Slam'," Krejcikova added, pointing to the sky.

"I know she's looking after me. All this is pretty much because she is looking after me.

"It was amazing that I got the chance to meet her. She was such an inspiration. I miss her and I hope she's really happy."

The Czech has been best known in past years for her prowess in doubles and she will attempt to win that championship today with her partner, Katerina Siniakova.

Krejcikova, who has now won her maiden singles Grand Slam, is also the first Czech to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup since Hana Mandlikova, who represented Czechoslovakia and triumphed in 1981.

She won six games in a row to take the opening set after dropping serve in the first, before Pavlyuchenkova gained the upper hand in the second set.

The Russian had her left thigh taped at 5-2 but served it out to level at one-set all, before Krejcikova broke decisively for 4-3 in the decider to extend her winning streak on clay to 12 matches.

Krejcikova will rise to No. 15 in the world as she became the sixth successive first-time Major winner in Paris.

Pavlyuchenkova, 29, was a former teenage prodigy who had never made it past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam.

Despite that frustration, she has displayed remarkable durability, playing in every Major from the 2008 French Open until the 2020 US Open and finally in her 52nd attempt, she contested her first Slam final yesterday.

"It is funny because since a little girl I was thinking if, one day, what I would say if I had to do a speech - right now I forget everything I was preparing," she said.

"Thanks a lot to the crowd, I heard a lot of support from you and it means a lot to both of us, especially in difficult times.

"I just want to say a big thank you to my parents and my brother, who is here with me.

"A couple of weeks ago he told me: 'I've got you, we are going to get something big'.

"I said I needed more time but weeks later we are in the final at Roland Garros. So thank you for believing and pushing me."

NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS