By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 20, 2022
Barbora Krejcikova conquered Jelena Ostapenko 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 setting up an Australian Open fourth round meeting with Victoria Azarenka.
Photo credit: Getty
Talk is cheap, but Barbora Krejcikova’s inner dialogue was invaluable inspiration.
Staring down a one-set, 1-3 deficit to Jelena Ostapenko, Krejcikova channeled chatter into action.
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In a clash of Roland Garros champions, Krejcikova tore through seven of the next eight games igniting a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph that sent her into her first Australian Open fourth round.
The fourth-ranked Czech will face 24th-seeded Victoria Azarenka for a quarterfinal spot.
Two-time AO champion Azarenka opened today’s play on Rod Laver Arena roaring through eight straight games sparking a 6-0, 6-2 sweep of Elina Svitolina.
It was Azarenka’s fifth win over Svitolina in as many meetings propelling the former world No. 1 into her ninth Melbourne round of 16.
The Krejcikova-Ostapenko was really a tale of two different matches with the flat hitting Latvian commanding the first set-and-a-half before the fourth seed found her intensity and serve outplaying the 2017 French Open winner for the second half of the match.
“Today’s match was really tough really difficult I had to really dig deep to get this win so I’m really happy and really pleased and proud of myself,” Krejcikova told Jelena Dokic afterward. “I’m never gonna leave without a fight and I’m really happy I’m able to show that on the court.
By the time the dust settled on a two hour, 10-minute battle, Krejcikova won exactly one more point (95 to 94) than Ostapenko.
“I was just fighting,” Krejcikova said. “She’s playing really well. She’s smashing the ball and hitting winners; it was just really difficult.
“I was really happy that I found the fighting spirit in me and that I was going for every single ball. I kept telling myself it’s your dream to play on Rod Laver Arena… try to make it as long as you can.”
At the outset, Ostapenko was winning the short points driving daggers down the line.
Ostapenko warded off three break points including ripping running backhand strikes down the line that helped her navigate a seven-deuce hold for 2-1.
Squinting into the sun, Krejcikova struggled to locate her service toss in the high afternoon sun—just as Ostapenko had in the previous game.
The Latvian rapped a series of deep returns breaking at 15 for 3-1. Ostapenko pumped her first ace extending her lead to 4-1.
Catching her toss at times and trying to tame her wayward forehand wing, Krejcikova was a bit out of sorts on the sunny side of the court. The Czech steered a forehand long—her 15th error of the set—to face double break point.
Stepping into the court, Ostapenko belted a backhand crosscourt closing the 41-minute opener on the strength of 11 winners compared to six for her opponent.
The reigning Roland Garros champion shouted at herself trying to spark some life into her legs. Ostapenko responded flying forward to swat a forehand drive volley for double break point.
Pouncing on precise preparation steps, Ostapenko clocked her third forehand winner of the game breaking for a 3-1 second-set lead.
At that point, Krejcikova hadn’t had a break, but she changed all that with a couple of crackling forehands.
The fourth seed whipped a windmill forehand for break point and swept a forehand down the line converting the first of five break point chances to get back on serve in the fifth game.
Versatility is a Krejcikova asset.
The three-time AO mixed doubles champion is comfortable from more areas on the court and more adept mixing spins than Ostapenko. Krejcikova used a loopy forehand to draw the error and earn break point then chipped a tricky return coaxing another Ostapenko error to break for 5-4.
Krejcikova curled her fourth ace out wide to snatch the second set and force a decider after 78 minutes of play.
The reigning Roland Garros singles and doubles champion departed court for an eight-and-a-half minute break and was given a time violation warning on her return. Krejcikova told the chair umpire she had broken her necklace.
Getting right back to business, Krejcikova culled a pair of forehand errors then flicked a full-stretch forehand return into the corner breaking to open the final set. By then, the Czech had won six of the last seven games.
Bending low and using her legs to defuse the pace of Ostapenko’s crackling returns, Krejcikova staved off a couple of break points holding for 3-1.
Serving for the fourth round, Krejcikova tightened up double faulting on her second match point. A flat serve down the middle earned her a third match point. This time, Krejcikova closed when Ostapenko netted a backhand return.
Asked how she'll recover for Azarenka, Krejcikova offered a simple response: play more tennis.
Though she isn't defending her mixed doubles crown, Krejcikova and partner Katerina Siniakova are top seeds in doubles and looking forward to another deep run.
"I love to play tennis; I love to play singles, I’m really happy I’m doing well," Krejcikova said. "I love to play doubles. I’m playing doubles for a very long time and also I’ve been playing mixed doubles…
"This time is only like this the best recovery is to play another match for me. This is the best recovery to step on the court and play on the court and see people are entertained and having fun. This is what makes me happy and how I recover."