Czech tennis player Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini in three sets on Saturday to capture her first Wimbledon championship.
Krejcikova outlasted Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to take the championship. The 28-year-old previously won the singles title at the 2021 French Open, as well as doubles titles at all four Grand Slams at least once.
Wimbledon finals players break into WTA top 10
After Saturday's results, Krejcikova moved from No. 32 in the WTA rankings to No. 10, returning to the top 10 for the first time in six months. Wimbledon runner-up Paolini jumped from No. 7 to No. 5, a new career-high ranking.
Paolini also made waves by becoming the first woman since Serena Williams to reach both the Wimbledon and French Open finals in the same year. She lost out to 2024 French Open-winner Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros this past June.
Taylor Townsend wins doubles at Wimbledon
Former ITF Junior World Champion Taylor Townsend won her first Grand Slam in doubles at Wimbledon this weekend alongside Czechia's Kateřina Siniaková.
The No. 4 seeds beat No. 2-ranked Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe 7-6(5), 7-6(1) in a heated final on Wimbledon's Centre Court. The pair came back from two down in the first set before turning the tables on the 2023 US Open champs to secure the win.
This is the 28-year-old American's first win in three Grand Slam doubles finals, having fallen just short of the title at both the 2022 US Open and 2023 French Open. For Siniaková, however, the victory marks her ninth-career Grand Slam doubles championship and her third time taking the doubles title at Wimbledon.
"This is my first one, my first Grand Slam title — I've been close two other times," Townsend told reporters after the match. "To get over the finish line the way that we did, I think we played so well. We were just locked in, in control. We played our way. It felt good the way we did it."
World No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka is out of Wimbledon, withdrawing due to a shoulder injury sustained in Berlin.
Sabalenka also recently pulled out of the Olympics, citing injury concerns with the change of surface.
"I tried everything to get myself ready but unfortunately my shoulder is not cooperating," Sabalenka said on Instagram. "I pushed myself to the limit in practice today to try my best, but my team explained that playing would only make things much worse.
"This tournament means so much to me and I promise I'll be back stronger than ever next year."
Since winning the Australian Open to kick off the season, Sabalenka has struggled with a back injury. She also dealt with illness at the French Open, falling in the quarterfinals to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Sabalenka has been replaced in the draw by Mira's older sister Erika Andreeva, who lost in qualifiers last week.
Wimbledon will begin on Monday, with French Open-winner Iga Swiatek looking to take her first grass court major title.
Others looking to challenge her include Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, and 2023 Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova.
Grass isn't the strongest surface for some of the world’s heaviest hitters, including Swiatek, Gauff, and Sabalenka. Jabeur, meanwhile, will be looking to win her first Grand Slam singles title after falling short in last year’s final.
But the tournament’s proximity to the Paris Olympics — combined with the fact that the Olympics will be played on clay courts — has resulted in a number of key players dropping out of the Summer Games.
Sabalenka, Jabeur, and American Madison Keys are among a group of top players declining to participate in the Summer Games, citing health and fitness concerns in relation to a tight schedule played on multiple surfaces.
"We have decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardize the rest of my season," Jabeur posted on social media regarding her Olympic withdrawal.
"It’s too much with the scheduling," Sabalenka echoed. "It’s just too much. I made the decision to take care of my health."
Both Swiatek and Gauff, who excel on clay courts, are still planning to participate this summer in Paris.
Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka joined a growing list of tennis stars opting out of the Olympics on Monday.
Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion and World No. 3, told reporters in Berlin that she was looking after her health while citing WTA tournament participation requirements. The Belarusian had struggled with a stomach bug during the French Open, where she lost in the semifinals of a major for the first time since 2022.
Similarly, Jabeur referenced the health risks that come with a change in playing surfaces. The World No. 10 has been battling knee injuries this season, and lost in the French Open quarterfinals to Coco Gauff.
"Especially with all the struggles I was having last month, I feel like I need to take care of my health… It’s too much with the scheduling," Sabalenka told reporters. "It’s just too much. I made the decision to take care of my health."
Players will spend the next few weeks playing on grass in the lead-up to Wimbledon, while the Olympics will be played on clay at Roland-Garros.
"After consulting with my medical team regarding attending the Olympics in Paris, we have decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardize the rest of my season," Jabeur tweeted on Monday. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. I have always loved representing my country in any competition, However, I must listen to my body and follow my medical team’s advice."
The two join Emma Raducanu in opting out of the Olympics. Raducanu — who has dealt with a number of injuries since her US Open win in 2021 — said the change in surface was "not worth the risk."
Iga Swiatek continues to dominate the French Open, winning a third-straight title on Saturday.
The world No. 1 defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in straight sets, with Paolini playing in her first-ever Grand Slam final.
"To play [Swiatek] here is something different," Paolini said. "She's already won four titles at 23-years-old — these numbers are not normal. I've never played someone with this intensity before in my life."
Swiatek is just the third woman to win three straight titles at the Paris major, alongside Monica Seles and Justine Henin. It’s also her fourth title at the tournament in five years, as well as her fifth major overall.
She’s 5-0 when reaching the final of a major tournament, dropping just 17 games since her second-round scare against Naomi Osaka last week. And her win streak at the French Open now spans 21 matches, dating back to 2021.
"I got broken at the beginning, so it wasn't maybe perfect, but I think the level was pretty high," Swiatek said after the match. "It wasn't so easy as the score says."
Elsewhere, new singles World No. 2 Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam doubles title on Sunday, playing alongside Katerina Siniakova at Roland Garros. It’s her second major tournament title after winning the US Open in singles in 2023.
The French Open final is set, with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek set to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
Swiatek took care of top-ranked American Coco Gauff in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in Thursday's French Open semifinal. Afterward, Swiatek expressed high praise for Gauff's performance.
"She is progressing a lot. You can see by her results. Last year's US Open, for sure, showed that she's tough. At this age, it's kind of obvious that she's going to just grow. So it's nice to see her handling well everything around her, because it's not easy," Swiatek noted. "I'm sure we're going to have plenty more really intense matches on the really highest level."
For Gauff, the tournament isn’t a total loss. She’ll move up to a personal best world No. 2 this week after 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva upset former No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open to become the youngest major semifinalist since 1997.
Gauff will now be the first American tennis player — male or female — to be ranked inside the top two since Serena Williams in 2017.
The French Open semifinals will feature a familiar battle, with Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek set to square off on Thursday.
Gauff mounted a comeback win against Ons Jabeur in this morning's quarterfinal match, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, while Swiatek easily took care of Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2.
"She was playing really well the whole match. She was hitting a lot of winners on me, which is something I'm not used to against anybody," Gauff said after the match. "So today I was just trying to just be aggressive toward the end.
"[Ons Jabeur] is a tough opponent and she's well loved on tour," she added. "I could tell by the crowd today — I know you guys wanted her to win. Honestly, whenever she's not playing [me], I cheer for her, too.”
It's Gauff's third semi in three consecutive majors, with Gauff and Swiatek the only two active players under 26 with more than two Grand Slam semifinals under their belts.
Gauff and Swiatek have met at the French Open before, having most recently faced each other in the tournament's 2022 final. But Swiatek has took 10 out of 11 matches against Gauff — including a 6-4, 6-3 win in the semifinals of the Italian Open last month.
"Coco is not easy. She really likes playing on clay, especially here," Swiatek told ESPN after today's quarterfinals. "I'll just focus on myself and I'll prepare tactically and we'll see."
For her part, Swiatek is looking for her fourth French Open title and fifth Grand Slam overall.
Some have started calling the 23-year-old the "Queen of Clay" — a moniker she hasn't been quick to embrace.
"I think it is too early for me… Comparing me to [Rafael Nadal], I don't think I am at that level yet. I still have many things to prove," Swiatek said late last month.
There's been no shortage of drama at the 2024 French Open so far, with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka giving world No. 1 Iga Swiatek a run for her money in Wednesday's second-round match.
Osaka looked every bit the former No. 1 that she is, despite the clay court not being her favored surface. After losing the first set to Swiatek in a tiebreak, Osaka took the second set 6-1. But up 5-2 in the third, Osaka could only watch as Swiatek fought back for a 7-5 set win to take the match.
"For sure, this match was really intense. Much more intense for the second round than I ever expected. For sure, I'll be more ready next time," Swiatek said after the match. "Naomi played amazing tennis... I'm happy that she's back and she's playing well."
The victory extends Swiatek’s Roland Garros winning streak to 16 matches. The two-time defending champion is looking for her third-straight trophy — and fourth overall — at the major.
For Osaka, the battle was an indicator of what might be in store for the rest of the year as she continues to make her way back from maternity leave. After all, she had match point at 5-3 in the third set before missing a couple of backhands that Swiatek swiftly converted for a break point.
"I cried when I got off the court, but then, you know, for me, I kind of realize I was watching Iga win this tournament last year, and I was pregnant. It was just my dream to be able to play her," Osaka told reporters in a postmatch press conference. "When I kind of think of it like that, I think I'm doing pretty well. And I'm also just trying not to be too hard on myself. I feel like I played her on her better surface. I'm a hard-court kid, so I would love to play her on my surface and see what happens."
It was Osaka’s best match in years, with some of her serves reaching 122 MPH. She won 92 of the 139 points that lasted four or less strokes, and finished with a 54-37 advantage on winners.
But even as Osaka looked more and more like her old self, it wasn’t enough to overcome the world No. 1. Swiatek’s bid to become the first woman to win three French Open championships in a row since 2009 continues.
Elsewhere, Coco Gauff easily handled Tamara Zidansek in straight sets in her own second round match, while Sofia Kenin and Ons Jabeur also advanced to the third round.
The 2024 French Open starts on Sunday, with a match schedule that promises to wrap the short clay court season up in style.
Looking for her fourth title at the major is three-time Roland Garros champion and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, considered the favorite to win the whole Slam. Three of her four major titles have come at the French tournament.
Swiatek's career record at the French Open is a dominating 28-2, and she's currently on a 16-game winning streak fueled by victories at tune-up tournaments in Madrid and Rome.
But that doesn't mean she won't face some serious challengers along the way. Get to know some of the Polish tennis champ's strongest competitors.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka is ranked No. 2 in the world and faced Swiatek in the finals at both Madrid and Rome. She lost in three sets in Madrid, which included a close third-set tiebreak, before losing in straight sets at the Italian Open.
She enters the French Open having won the Australian Open in January, successfully defending her title in the first Slam of the season. At last year’s French Open, Sabalenka reached the semifinals — a career best — before being ousted by Karolina Muchová in three sets.
Season record: 25-7
Coco Gauff
Currently sitting at No. 3 in the world, the highest-ranked American on the schedule is none other than Coco Gauff. Gauff won her first major at the US Open last year, and reached the semifinals of this year’s Australian Open. She faced Swiatek in the semifinals of the Italian Open last week, losing in straight sets.
But her first major final came at the French Open in 2022, before being ousted by Swiatek in the quarterfinals at last year’s French Open. The two are on a crash course for a meeting before the finals, as Gauff anchors the other quadrant on Swiatek’s side of the draw, should they both advance deep into the competition.
Season record: 25-8
Coco Gauff celebrated her 20th birthday in style, with a win over Elise Mertens in the fourth round at Indian Wells.
It was an easy win for Gauff, who won 6-0, 6-2. She won 84% of her first serves and six of eight breakpoints. After the match, she told the Tennis Channel that it was one of her better matches since the Australian Open.
"Today was one of my best matches since the Australian Open," Gauff told the Tennis Channel. "I was definitely trying to be aggressive. That just made the difference. I don't think she felt she could step in on me."
"I did really well playing deep in the court and mixing up the pace on her. She can do really well when it's all the same pace."
Following the match, Gauff was given a cake by the Tennis Channel to celebrate her birthday, with Gauff taking a bite out of it on the broadcast.
"It's good!" - @CocoGauff
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 13, 2024
The birthday girl approves of her cake. 🎂😋 pic.twitter.com/nMYDzZ3ffR