The WTA 500 event finalist from Sydney who won the 2021 Roland Garros early in the year continued her impressive play to go to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
In the matchup between the French Open champions on Sunday in Ostrava, the Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova edged over world number one Iga Swiatek to maintain her late surge in an injury-plagued season.
At the beginning of the year, the winner of the 2021 Roland Garros reached the final of a WTA 500 tournament in Sydney. She then maintained her good form to go to the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The 26-year-old reached a career-high ranking of two in February before suffering an elbow injury that sidelined him for months. Before she won two titles in a row in Ostrava and Tallinn, Estonia, she failed to advance to another semifinal.
Swiatek suffered her first loss in a final since 2019 after Krejcikova’s 5-7 7-6(4) 6-3 victory against the twice-victorious Swiatek.
After her three-hour, 16-minute victory, Krejcikova told the WTA, “I think the beginning of the season was tremendous, so it was challenging.”
“Following the injury and extended absence (more than three or four months), it was challenging to return. I was attempting to find my form in the middle of the season. Simply said, I’m glad I found it and am now returning.”
Krejcikova, who recently defeated Swiatek, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, and world number three Annett Kontaveit, was unsure of exactly what clicked for her but acknowledged “a lot of work” for her return to top form.
“I’ve always had the impression that it’s just hidden. I didn’t just forget everything I did the previous year. I continued to feel its presence “She spoke.
“The fact that everything I experienced and experienced transformed me and given me more energy makes me very happy. I believe that I am a different player and person. I’m overjoyed to be participating in the big game once more.”
