Barbora Krejcikova wins maiden French Open singles title: Records broken
World number 33 Barbora Krejcikova has been crowned the champion of the 2021 French Open (women's singles). Krejcikova trounced Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (6-1, 2-6, 6-4) in what was her first majors final. The 25-year-old has become the first Czech champion of Roland Garros since Hana Mandlikova in 1981. Notably, she has won Grand Slams in the doubles category previously.
Pavlyuchenkova showed her dominance initially by breaking Krejcikova's serve in the very first game. However, the latter reeled off six straight games to close the set in 32 minutes. The Russian made an amazing comeback in the second to win 6-2. Pavlyuchenkova took a medical time-out toward the end of the second set. Krejcikova raised her game in final set, thereby winning the title.
Krejcikova registered 85 points and two aces in the match. She won 51% of the receiving points (41/80). She also clinched 11 out of 15 net points. While Krejcikova recorded 31 unforced errors, Pavlyuchenkova recorded 16. Notably, Krejcikova claimed 13 winners in the opening set, wherein she dominated the Russian. She bagged another 14 in the deciding set.
Krejcikova has now won six Grand Slam titles in total (mixed doubles: 3, women's doubles: 2, women's singles: 1). As stated, she has become the first Czech player to win Roland Garros since Hana Mandlikova in 1981. Krejcikova has won 12 successive matches. She has a 26-9 win-loss record in 2021, including 15-3 on clay. Overall, she owns a 223-86 win-loss record on clay.
Krejcikova is the third unseeded Roland Garros champion in the past five years after Jelena Ostapenko (2017) and Iga Swiatek (2020). Notably, this was just her fifth major main draw after 15 qualifying losses between 2014 and 2019. Monica Seles and Bianca Andreescu (five each) are the only two women to have won a Grand Slam title with fewer main draw appearances.
Krejcikova has become 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) over Maria Sakkari.
This is the sixth straight year when the French Open has been won by a first-time Grand Slam singles champion (women's singles). Previous champions: Garbine Muguruza (2016), Jelena Ostapenko (2017), Simona Halep (2018), Ashleigh Barty (2019), and Iga Swiatek (2020). It is interesting to note that the past 15 majors have witnessed nine different maiden Slam winners.
