Krejcikova's tribute: "Knocking on Jana Novotna's door changed my life".
Just over 10 years ago, an 18-year-old Barbora Krejcikova, who was still hesitating between deciding whether to become a professional player or pursue her studies, went knocking on Jana Novotna's door with her mother to deliver a letter. The letter asked for the champion's advice. The former world No.1 and 1998 Wimbledon winner read the letter and decided to offer the young player the chance to become her coach.
More than just her coach, Novotna became her mentor, until her untimely death from cancer in November 2017. Krejcikova paid tribute to her in her post-match speech, just after beating Jasmine Paolini in the final of this Wimbledon 2024. Lifting the trophy 26 years after the woman who "changed her life".
Barbora Krejcikova: "I think that going to meet Jana, knocking on her door, giving her the letter and everything that happened at that time changed my life. It definitely changed my life as a tennis player because, I mean, during the period when I finished juniors, I didn't know what I should do, whether I should go on and play pro or whether I should, you know, go the educational route. And it was Jana who told me that I had potential and that I absolutely had to go pro and try to succeed.
Before she passed away, she told me to win a Grand Slam. And that's what I did in Paris in 2021. It was an incredible moment for me. And I never really dreamed I'd win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998."
Wimbledon 
