Decoding the incredible run of Barbora Krejcikova in 2021
Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova rose to a career-best fifth spot in the latest WTA Rankings. She recently lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals of the 2021 US Open. Prior to that, the 25-year-old had reached the quarter-final in Cincinnati. Krejcikova, who is the 2021 Roland Garros winner, has been in top form in 2021. Let us decode her run this season.
Krejcikova has a win-loss record of 43-13 in the ongoing season. She won a total of three titles. She won the WTA 250 tournament in Prague after defeating Tereza Martincova. Krejcikova also won the clay-court tournament in Strasbourg. However, the biggest title of her career came in Paris when she won the French Open. Krejcikova clinched her maiden Grand Slam title.
Krejcikova overcame Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 to win the 2021 French Open. She became the first Czech champion at Roland Garros since Hana Mandlikova in 1981. She is also the third unseeded Roland Garros champion in the past five years after Jelena Ostapenko (2017) and Iga Swiatek (2020). Before the 2020 French Open, Krejcikova hadn't gone past the fourth round at majors.
Krejcikova became the third woman in the Open Era after Anastasia Myskina and Justine Henin to win Roland Garros after facing match point en route to the final. Krejcikova saved one in her semi-final win (7-5, 4-6, 9-7) against Maria Sakkari.
Krejcikova also won the French Open in the doubles category along with Katerina Siniakova. They defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Iga Swiatek in the final to claim their second Roland Garros crown (doubles). With this victory, Krejcikova became the first woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to complete the sweep (singles and doubles) at the French Open.
Krejcikova maintained an unbeaten streak of 15 in the season. She won five consecutive matches to win her maiden WTA title (in Strasbourg). Krejcikova then claimed seven back-to-back wins at Roland Garros before reaching the third round at Wimbledon.
