Barbora Krejcikova is the 2021 International Strasbourg Open champion after beating the Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-3 in 99 minutes.
Competing in her third WTA final at the age of 25, Krejcikova overcame 10 doubles faults produced in the final by breaking her opponent six times en route to the biggest title of her career. The Czech is currently at a ranking high of 38th in the world and recently recorded her 10th win over a top 50 player earlier in the week against Ekaterina Alexandrova.
“There’s been a lot of emotions on the court,” Krejcikova said following her said. “I have so many things on my mind right now. It’s really hard to put it in sentences.”
The Czech got off to a fast start in the opening set and had three chances to break the world number 61 and she did just that to take an early 1-0 lead. Continuing to attack she earned another break of serve after consolidating the break and managed to win four games in a row.
It stayed on serve until 5-2 when the number five seed was serving for the set but the Cisrstea saved both and break back before ultimately being broken the following game by Krejcikova who took the first set 6-3.
The second set started with the world number 61 looking to get back in the match and earned three chances in the opening service game of the second set before breaking the world number 38 to take the 1-0 lead.
The number five seed would respond the following game by breaking right back and consolidating the break by holding her serve and breaking once again the very next game with a powerful forehand on breakpoint to take a 3-1 lead.
The Romanian would respond again by breaking the Czech number five seed to love but failed to consolidate the break and after saving three breakpoints the world number 38 broke at the fourth time of asking.
That break was enough for Krejcikova to serve out the match and claim her first WTA title. She is the first Czech player to win in Strasbourg since Nicole Vaidisova did it in 2006 and after the match she spoke about it in her post match press conference.
” I’m really happy, for me, it’s more emotional because in 1989 my former coach (Jana Novotna) won. During the match she was watching over me and she was helping me, and she really wanted me to win so I’m really happy I was able to do it”.
Krejcikova will now travel to Paris to play in Roland Garros which starts on Sunday.
