Czech tennis stars shine at Wimbledon, winning singles and doubles titles

Czech tennis stars Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková achieved a remarkable pair of victories at Wimbledon on Saturday, claiming both singles and doubles titles. They continue a streak of recent Czech wins at the prestigious Grand Slam tournament that includes Markéta Vondroušová's victory last year and their own doubles titles in 2022 and 2018.

Krejčíková won her first Wimbledon singles title by defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 yesterday. The victory marks her second Grand Slam singles title, following her 2021 win at the French Open. Krejčíková joins the ranks of Czech champions such as Markéta Vondroušová, Petra Kvitová, and her former coach Jana Novotná.

"It's just unbelievable what happened. It's definitely the best day of my tennis career and maybe even my life," Krejčíková expressed emotionally after her win. She reflected on the influence of her late coach Novotná, who passed away in 2017, attributing her path to professional tennis to Novotná's guidance.

Czech President Petr Pavel was among those to congratulate Krejčíková after her victory. "Breathtaking performance by Barbora Krejčíková!" the President wrote on social media. "Congratulations on winning the prestigious Wimbledon. Once again, it was confirmed that Czech tennis belongs to the world's top. Báro, thank you for the excellent representation of our country."

Krejčíková, the 31st seed at Wimbledon, had a strong tournament run, losing only three sets in total. The final against Paolini lasted one hour and 56 minutes, with Krejčíková earning a £2.7 million (CZK 80 million) prize. The match was watched in person by tennis legends and celebrities including Martina Navrátilová, Tom Cruise, and Hugh Jackman.

"I want to congratulate Barbora, she played incredibly," oppenent Paolini said of Krejčíková’s performance after the final, Despite a strong second set, Paolini couldn’t overcome Krejčíková’s resilience in the decisive third.

Later, Kateřina Siniaková clinched her third Wimbledon doubles title and ninth Grand Slam doubles trophy overall. Partnering with American Taylor Townsend, they triumphed over Canadian-New Zealand pair Gabriela Dabrowská and Erin Routliffe 7-6, 7-6.

This victory follows Siniaková's previous Wimbledon doubles titles with longtime teammate Krejčíková in 2018 and 2022. Czech star Barbora Strýcová has also won women's doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2019 and 2023 with Taiwanese partner Hsieh Su-wei.

"I'm proud of Bar and I'm happy that we also succeeded," Siniaková told reporters after her match. The doubles final saw intense competition, with Siniaková and Townsend overcoming set points to dominate the tie-breaks.

The doubles title was especially meaningful for Townsend, who appreciated Siniaková's partnership after previously facing her in a Grand Slam final. "It's great that I could be on the same side of the court this time," she noted.