London: Barbora Krejcikova reached her first Wimbledon final on Thursday, hailing her late coach and former champion Jana Novotna for teaching her “to fight for every ball”.
Krejcikova, 28, stunned 2022 champion Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set-up a title showdown against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini on Saturday.
The Czech said she never imagined she would reach a Wimbledon singles final.
Telling me lots of stories
She then became emotional during her TV interview on Centre Court as she remembered Novotna, who died from cancer in 2017 at the age of 49.
“She was telling me a lot of stories about her journey here and how she was trying to win Wimbledon,” said the Czech 31st seed.
“I was so far away when we had this talk. Now I am here and I am in a final.”
Beautiful memories
She added: “I remember thinking about her a lot. I have so many beautiful memories and when I step on the court I fight for every single ball as that is what she would want me to do.”
Novotna was Wimbledon champion in 1998 but only after losing finals at the All England Club in 1993 and 1997.
She famously wept on the shoulder of Britain’s Duchess of Kent after the 1993 final, which she lost to Steffi Graf.
Novotna had led 4-1 in the third set and was a point away from going 5-1 up only to serve a double fault.
She lost the next five games and was defeated 7-6 (8/6), 1-6, 6-4.
