Mirra Andreeva's hopes of adding the Wimbledon title to her French Open crown were dashed on Wednesday as Barbora Krejcikova, the 2024 champion, staged a resurgent comeback to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Centre Court. The 19-year-old Andreeva, who won Roland Garros last month, was aiming to become only the fifth woman in the post-1968 Open era to win both Grand Slams before turning 20, joining Maureen Connolly, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert, and Steffi Graf.
Hard-Fought Contest
The match lasted two hours and 45 minutes, with Krejcikova, currently ranked 38th in the world, overcoming a set deficit. Andreeva dominated the first set and a half, but Krejcikova found her rhythm on forehand to break back and level the match. The deciding set saw an extraordinary ninth game where Krejcikova served for the match at 5-3, leading 40-0, but squandered four match points, including a double fault, as Andreeva fought back to hold serve.
Turning Point
With the set back on serve at 5-4, Krejcikova broke again in the next game, sealing victory when Andreeva's return sailed long. Krejcikova said: "The atmosphere was great and we've been fighting for almost three hours. What a match. I think this is the fifth time I've played with Mirra and it's always been a huge fight. She is such a young and unique player, she has everything in front of her."
Emotional Aftermath
Andreeva was in tears after the match, struggling to process the narrow defeat. "It's going to take some time," she said. "She played well. She's a tricky opponent, especially on grass. She changes the rhythm a lot. The slices and drop shots, here they stay low, they don't bounce. I've had some trouble with that, as well, [and] a lot of mistakes today."
Krejcikova, who has battled injuries and personal issues, expressed pride in her performance: "I've been through a lot with injuries and also in my personal life in the last couple of months. It was really hard to get through with all the emotions and everything that happened. But I put in a lot of work and dedication every single day and try to go day by day."
