By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 12, 2024
Barbora Krejcikova’s improbable run to the Wimbledon final was completed on Saturday as the 28-year-old Czech defeated Jasmine Paolini, 6-2 2-6 6-4, for her maiden Wimbledon and second major singles title.
Just how improbable was her run? Let’s just say: very. Join us for a peek inside the numbers of Krejikova’s crowning achievement.
5 – Krejcikova started the grass court season on a five-match losing streak. She hadn’t won a match since February when she showed up to play Birmingham last month.
7-9 – After dealing with illness and injury, Krejcikova only managed a 7-9 record heading into Wimbledon. She doubled that win total with her run to the title.
12 – Krejcikova is putting together a storied career. She has now won 12 major titles. In addition to her major singles titles (at Roland-Garros in 2021 and Wimbledon this year) she has won seven major doubles titles and another three mixed doubles titles. Throw in the Olympic Gold medal in women’s doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while you’re at it.
175 – Number of games played by Krejcikova during the Championships. According to ESPN that is the most games played by any women’s singles champion in the Open Era.
3:15 – The length of Krejcikova’s first-round victory over Veronika Kudermetova (7-6(4) 6-7(1) 7-5), which was the longest match of the entire tournament on the women’s side.
13 – Number of Grand Slams between Krejcikova’s first and second major titles. Only three other players have had to wait that long to win their second major title. Mary Pierce (20), Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (19) and Svetlana Kuznetsova (18).
28 – Krejcikova becomes the sixth player in the Open Era to win their first Ladies’ Singles title in Wimbledon after having turned 28, joining Ann Jones (1969), Virginia Wade (1977), Jana Novotna (1998), Marion Bartoli (2013) and Angelique Kerber (2018).
1 – Krejcikova is the first woman from the Czech Republic to win titles at more than one Grand Slam. Note: Martina Navratilova did not win her major titles for the Czech Republic.
7 – Krejcikova moves up to seventh in the Race to the WTA Finals as a result of her title. She will jump from No.31 to No.10 in Monday’s WTA rankings.
