Barbora Krejcikova beats Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win French Open

Over the past two weeks in Paris, Barbora Krejcikova has competed in just the fifth grand slam singles main draw of her career, her third as a direct entrant. She has not even made it to the Wimbledon or the US Open main draws, yet when she finally does then remarkably it will be as a grand slam singles champion. In a wonderful display of toughness and guile, Krejcikova defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 to win the French Open.

After a run that has included one match point saved, numerous set points scuppered as well as ample beat-downs against five seeded players, Krejcikova has become the second Czech woman to win Roland Garros. This is also the sixth straight year that the French Open has crowned a first-time grand slam winner, maintaining its identity as one of the most unpredictable stages in sport.

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There have been few slam champions with a story like Krejcikova’s pathway. Despite reaching No 1 in doubles, winning five women’s and mixed doubles grand slam titles and being a constant presence at the top of the sport as a result, she spent the first nine years of her career outside of the top 100 in singles, including six years unable to escape the quicksand of the 101-200 ranking spots.

She stands as a reminder of all of the talent that exists outside the top, televised singles tournaments, so much of which simply needs the right time and circumstances to thrive.

Both players betrayed nerves in the early exchanges. A visibly tense Krejcikova double-faulted twice in the opening game to lose her serve. But then Pavlyuchenkova let a last-ditch defensive lob from Krejcikova bounce on break point in her opening service game, anticipating that it was flying out. After it dropped in, the Czech seemed to relax.

As she relaxed, Krejcikova’s game flowed and she played a tremendous opening set. It was she who had full control over the baseline exchanges, weaving her web as she dragged her Russian opponent around the court with angles, sharply redirected backhands and drop shots. From 0-1 down, Krejcikova breezed through four games in a row to lead 4-1.

For Pavlyuchenkova, the problem was trying to figure out how to approach her opponent’s varied and completely unpredictable game in their first meeting. Krejcikova’s quality forced her to step up and as she took on more risk, she committed more errors. The Russian gave up a second break with a whimper and Krejcikova served out the opening set with two consecutive excellent unreturned serves.

To her credit, Pavlyuchenkova continually looked to move towards the net and she was not discouraged even as she missed finishing shots in the forecourt. In the opening game of the second set, her back truly against the wall, she nailed a brilliant forehand drive volley to save break point in the opening game. That was apparently all it took. After holding serve, she roared into Krejcikova’s opening service game, crushing two forehand winners early on and punctuating her successes with cheers of “c’mon”.

As her shoulders opened wide, she began to show every inch of her prodigious ball striking talent, taking control of most rallies as her wondrous backhand sung. She slotted a backhand down-the-line winner to break for 2-0, then she absolutely demolished another one in the same direction to hold again for 4-1.

After breaking serve again, Pavlyuchenkova pulled up on her left thigh while serving for the set at 5-1. She lost her service game and then took a medical timeout, amusingly easing the pain by snacking on some Haribo gold bears. When she emerged, she had no choice but to take on even more risk and she nailed a cross-court backhand winner to take the set.

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The third set began with a long bathroom break from Krejcikova. When she returned, both players traded breaks and the match there for someone to seize control.

In the end, it was Krejcikova who stepped up. Down 2-3, she ended an excellent service game with a sweet angled backhand winner. Then, at 3-3, she played her best game of the match at the most important intersection of her singles career, breaking serve to love by standing on top of the baseline and directing traffic from side-to-side. She closed off the game with a lethal combination of winners, slotting a backhand down-the-line winner before hitting a cross-court forehand. Then she marched to a 5-3 lead from deuce with two excellent unreturned serves.

Krejcikova reached double championship point with an array of winners, but Pavlyuchenkova boldly scuppered both. Pavlyuchenkova saved the first with an excellent cross-court backhand, but then Krejcikova sent a tight backhand return long. Throughout this unfathomable journey, Krejcikova has continually demonstrated her toughness and she did so again by shaking off her nerves to serve out her first singles grand slam title.