Elina Svitolina and Barbora Krejcikova faced off in a thrilling match at the 2021 French Open, with Krejcikova ultimately coming out on top in a hard-fought battle. The final score of 6-7, 6-2, 4-6 does not do justice to the intensity and drama that unfolded on the court.
Svitolina, the fifth seed and a two-time quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, came into the match as the favorite. She had been in great form, winning the title in Strasbourg just a week before the French Open and looking to make a deep run in Paris. On the other hand, Krejcikova, a former doubles world number one, was playing in only her fifth Grand Slam singles main draw and had never been past the second round at a major.
The first set was a tight affair, with both players holding serve comfortably and not giving each other any opportunities to break. It was Svitolina who drew first blood, breaking Krejcikova’s serve in the 11th game and serving for the set. But the Czech player showed great resilience and broke back to force a tiebreak. In a tense tiebreak, Krejcikova held her nerve and took the set 7-6, much to the surprise of the crowd and the commentators.
Svitolina, however, did not let the disappointment of losing the first set affect her game. She came out firing in the second set, playing aggressive tennis and taking control of the match. Krejcikova, on the other hand, seemed to struggle with her nerves and made a few unforced errors, allowing Svitolina to take the set 6-2 and level the match at one set apiece.
The third set was a rollercoaster ride, with both players trading breaks and neither able to gain a significant advantage. Svitolina, who had been struggling with a knee injury, seemed to be in pain and called for the trainer at 3-3. After a medical timeout, she returned to the court and continued to fight, but Krejcikova’s confidence seemed to grow with each passing game. In the end, it was the Czech player who held her nerve and served out the match to claim the biggest win of her singles career.
Despite the loss, Svitolina showed great sportsmanship and congratulated Krejcikova on her victory. In her post-match interview, she praised her opponent’s performance and acknowledged that she was the better player on the day. «She played really well, she was very solid and she deserved to win,» Svitolina said.
Krejcikova, on the other hand, was understandably overjoyed with her win and could not contain her emotions. «I cannot believe it, I cannot believe I won this match,» she said in her on-court interview. «I was just trying to stay focused and play my game, and it worked out in the end.»
This win marks a significant milestone for Krejcikova, who has been steadily improving her singles game over the past few years. She has now reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time and will face either Sloane Stephens or Karolina Muchova for a spot in the quarterfinals.
As for Svitolina, she will be disappointed with the loss but can take solace in the fact that she fought until the very end despite her injury. She will now turn her attention to the grass court season, where she will look to continue her good form and make a deep run at Wimbledon.
In conclusion, the Svitolina-Krejcikova match was a thrilling and hard-fought battle between two talented players. While Svitolina may have come up short, she showed great sportsmanship and Krejcikova proved that she is a force to be reckoned with on the singles court. Tennis fans can look forward to seeing more exciting matches from both players in the future.
