- Barbora Krejcikova couldn’t contain her emotions in an emotional moment at SW19
- The newly crowned Wimbledon champion beat Jasmine Paolini
- Krejcikova broke down in tears as she remembered her late mentor Jana Novotna
Newly crowned Wimbledon women’s singles champion Barbora Krejcikova broke down in tears during an emotional and touching behind-the-scenes video at the club.
The 28-year-old produced a stunning performance at Wimbledon as she recovered from losing the second set against Jasmine Paolini to claim the Grand Slam title.
The victory gave the Czech international a second major title after winning the French Open three years ago, but it was an emotional win for a special reason.
Her former mentor was former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, who decided to take on the role when Krejcikova, then 18, personally delivered a letter to her asking for help.
The 1998 Wimbledon champion Novotna accepted and a special relationship was born that culminated in Krejcikova becoming one of the world’s best players and lifting Wimbledon’s top honour on Saturday.
Newly crowned Wimbledon women’s singles champion Barbora Krejcikova broke down in tears during an emotional moment at the club.
Krejcikova cries as former mentor Jana Novotna’s name appears on Wimbledon women’s champions board
Sadly, it was also a moment of remembrance for the female star after Novotna previously passed away following a battle with ovarian cancer in 2017, aged just 49.
One of the typical processions of Wimbledon champions is to have their photo taken in front of a sign with the names of previous winners when they join the prestigious company. But it all proved too much for Krejcikova when she read the inscription of her former mentor.
Taken deep into the recesses of the All England Club after the victory, Krejcikova broke down in tears as tennis icon Debbie Jevans pointed out Novotna’s name.
Taking a moment to calm down and wipe away tears before posing for a celebratory photo, the women’s champion humorously joked: “This is a once in a lifetime thing… I want to look good!”
She finally managed to take the iconic photo as her name was etched alongside previous SW19 Women’s Champions, including Novotna.
Former Wimbledon winner Novotna previously passed away after a battle with ovarian cancer in 2017 at the age of 49.
Speaking on Centre Court after her victory, Krejcikova beamed as she called it “the best day of my life.”
“Knocking on Jana’s door and handing her a letter changed my life,” Krejcikova said after beating fellow Wimbledon finalist and debutant Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
‘After finishing the youth category I didn’t know if I should turn professional or study. Jana was the one who told me I had potential.
“I never dreamed I would win the same trophy as Jana in 1998. This is the best day of my life.”