12 June,2021 07:24 AM IST | Paris | AFP
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova, two of the most unlikely Grand Slam finalists of the modern era, meet in Saturday's French Open title match at the conclusion of a shock-heavy tournament. World No. 32 Pavlyuchenkova has reached this stage for the first time at the 52nd attempt, 10 years after making a first Slam quarters in Paris. Krejcikova, ranked one place lower, has long been labelled a doubles specialist and this is just her fifth appearance in a main draw singles at the Slams, having never previously got beyond the Last 16.
However, both women have capitalised on a draw where the top seeds fell and just kept falling. "The 14-year-old me would tell me âwhat took you so long?'," said Pavlyuchenkova, 29, who played her first Slam event in 2007. "It's been a long road. I had my own long special road. Everybody has different ways. I'm happy I'm in the final."
Pavlyuchenkova is bidding to become the fourth Russian champion at Roland Garros after Anastasia Myskina (2004), Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009) and Maria Sharapova (2012 and 2014). Always considered to possess the weapons to win a major - she has 37 career wins over top 10 players - Pavlyuchenkova was often written off as "too nice" to succeed when it mattered most.
"I'm nice to people but I'm not nice at all," she said. "I mean, obviously I'm respectful but when I'm on the court, I'm doing my job and I fight, and I want to kill my opponent every time I play."
That steely attitude has served her well in Paris this year where she defeated third seed Aryna Sabalenka, former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka as well as doubles partner Elena Rybakina, all in three sets. Krejcikova is bidding to become just the second Czech women's champion in Paris, 40 years after Hana Mandlikova triumphed.
Krejcikova is already a Slam champion, having captured the doubles with Katerina Siniakova at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2018. Her late blossoming as a singles specialist, however, means she has yet to play in the Wimbledon and US Open main draw. She lifted maiden singles trophy in Strasbourg on the eve of the French Open.
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