For the eighth successive year there will be a different women’s singles champion at The All England Club
©Corinne Dubreuil / FFTTwo edge-of-your-seat matches yielded the finalists for the women’s singles silverware showdown on Saturday.
One has been a major runner-up in Paris this season, one has previously lifted a Grand Slam singles trophy in Paris. Here is how it all unfolded at SW19…
It was an early contender for match of the season.
World No.7 Jasmine Paolini is enjoying the year of her life, and it got a whole lot better on Centre Court with a compelling 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 [10-8] triumph over Donna Vekic. In fact, at two hours, 51 minutes, it’s the longest women’s final four battle in Wimbledon history.
Last month’s Roland-Garros runner-up relinquished two match points late in the third set and was down 7-8 in the decisive tie-break, before turning the tables in a firecracker finale.
“This match I will remember forever,” said the 28-year-old, the first Italian woman to reach the Wimbledon singles final.
“It was really tough. At the beginning I was really struggling. She was serving really well. She was make me run every ball.
“I was just trying to repeat to myself to keep going, try to be close to her, just believe that the match can turn whenever.”
In doing so, Paolini is the first woman since Serena Williams (2016) to reach the finals at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same season.
“Two Grand Slam finals in a row was crazy to believe. I'm also surprising how at the moment, until now in this moment, I'm living this,” said the No.7 seed, with her trademark cheek to cheek smile.
“I feel maybe Saturday I will be so nervous, I don't know. But I feel also relaxed. I'm the same person. I'm doing the same things. I'm surprising myself to live this with really relaxing mood.
“I don't want to say more because maybe Saturday I'm going to be shaking.”
At 4-0 after just 19 minutes, it seemed likely that 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was going to roar back into the final.
Barbora Krejcikova ruled Roland-Garros 2021, but had never defeated a Top 5 player in any Grand Slam clash. On top of that, the Czech has endured a torrid 2024 due to illness and a back injury, without a match victory since January until hitting the grass stint.
Something has reignited the world No.32 these Championships and Krejcikova utilised her supreme power-absorption skills and versatility to deny No.4 seed Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
“Unbelievable, It is very tough to explain, but a lot of joy and a lot of emotions. Also there is a lot of relief and I am super proud about my game and my fighting spirit today,” stated the 28-year-old.
“I was trying to fight for every single ball, during the second set I was getting my momentum and when I broke her I started to be in the zone and I didn't want to leave the zone.“
Krejcikova was mentored by former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna until her fellow Czech’s tragic death in 2017.
“A couple of years I was working with Jana Novota the 1998 Wimbledon winner,” continued Krejcikova.
“She was telling me a lot of stories about her journey here and how she was trying to win Wimbledon. I was so far away when we had this talk. Now I am here and I am in a final!“
“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.“
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
