By Dwayne Ferreira
No.31 seed Barbora Krejcikova reached her first Wimbledon semifinal with a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over No.13 seed Jelena Ostapenko in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Krejcikova mounted an impressive comeback from 4-1 down in the second set to defeat Ostapenko, who had previously beaten her in straight sets in their last three matches and five out of seven encounters overall. Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros champion, had been in formidable form, dropping just 15 games en route to the quarterfinals.
Krejcikova altered her strategy this time, slowing the tempo and forcing Ostapenko to generate her own pace. She effectively used defensive tactics, chipping and blocking returns and frequently deploying a floating forehand slice to prolong rallies. This approach paid off during crucial moments, such as in the second-set tiebreak when Krejcikova led 5-3 and won a thrilling rally with her slow-ball tactic to reach her first match point.
Her slow-ball tactics made her sudden injections of pace even more effective, catching Ostapenko off guard multiple times with flat forehand crosscourt shots after resetting the point with a forehand slice. Krejcikova’s serving was particularly formidable in the first set. Despite starting with two double faults, she missed only two more first serves for the rest of the set and won all but one point on her first serve.
Krejcikova’s victory and strategic play highlight her adaptability and resilience, earning her a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time. Her ability to change tactics and maintain a high level of play against a formidable opponent like Ostapenko underscores her potential to go even further in the tournament.
