The highest-ranked WTA player remaining in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships draw, Elena Rybakina, won't play in the Wimbledon final as she was stunned by Barbora Krejcikova.
The Czech player hasn't had many great results in a long time. In fact, outside of her Roland Garros triumph a few years ago, she largely struggled on the singles tour. Injuries didn't help her, but now, she made another Grand Slam final out of nowhere
Rybakina was the favorite in this semi-final match not only to make the final but also to win the grass-court major at SW19 because she was the highest-ranked player remaining in the draw.
She has also won the event in the past, which helps as the grass is a surface where familiarity hugely matters. She started well in this match, taking the opening set 6-3.
Krejcikova didn't serve well and was generally overwhelmed by her opponent, who had 19 winners and 15 unforced errors in that first set.
The Kazakhstani player dictated the play most of the time, and the outcome depended on whether she hit her shots. She hit her shots in the first set, and that's why she won.
The second set wasn't as good for Rybakina because she missed more than she hit. Krejcikova also started hitting her shots a bit better, which was enough to win that second set 6-3.
The final was very competitive for a few games, but it was Krejcikova who broke first, taking a 4-3 lead. Both were playing decently, but the Czech player played the crucial points better.
Taking that break and confirming it for a 5-3 lead proved decisive, as she was able to finish out the match after that, winning it 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the 2024 Wimbledon Championships final, in which she will take on Jasmine Paolini, who bested Donna Vekic.
| Barbora Krejcikova | Elena Rybakina | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Aces | 8 |
| 6 | Double Faults | 3 |
| 72% | First Serve % | 58% |
| 67% (49/73) | Points Won After First Serve % | 67% (33/49) |
| 38% (11/29) | Points Won After Second Serve % | 47% (17/36) |
| 67% (4/6) | Break Point Conversion | 33% (3/9) |
| 25 | Winners | 38 |
| 26 | Unforced Errors | 37 |