At age 18, a decade before Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon on Saturday, she was done with junior tennis and couldn’t decide whether to pursue a professional tennis career or move on, go to school and find a different path.
So Krejcikova wrote a letter to one of her idols, 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, and dropped it off at her home in their native Czech Republic. Not only did Novotna tell Krejcikova she had talent and should stick with the sport, but she also became a mentor until dying of cancer in 2017.
“Before she passed away,” Krejcikova said, “she told me to go and win a Slam.”
How about two? Krejcikova was an unseeded, surprising winner at the French Open three years ago and added to her trophy case with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Jasmine Paolini in the final at the All England Club. Shortly after Saturday’s match ended, Krejcikova went and looked at her just-printed name on the list of Wimbledon champions posted in a Centre Court hallway — and saw Novotna’s there, too.
“The only thing that was going through my head,” Krejcikova said of that moment, “was that I miss Jana a lot. It was just very, very emotional. … I think she would be proud.”
Even after holding on to win on her third match point, Krejcikova insisted that nobody — not her friends, not her family, not even herself — would believe what she’s accomplished. It was relatively unlikely, after all, given that she dealt with a back injury and illness this season and her record in 2024 was just 7-9 when she arrived at the grass-court major.
Barbora Krejcikova gets her second career major after defeating Jasmine Paolini in three sets at Wimbledon.
Krejcikova was the 31st of 32 seeded women at the All England Club. Then came a three-setter in the first round last week, adding to the doubts.
But by the end of the fortnight, there stood the seventh-seeded Paolini, telling Krejcikova: “You play such beautiful tennis.”
Krejcikova is the eighth woman to leave Wimbledon as the champion in the past eight editions of the event. Last year’s champion also is from the Czech Republic: unseeded Marketa Vondrousova, who lost in the first round last week.
Paolini, the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the French Open last month, is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to get to the finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season — and the first since Venus Williams in 2002 to lose both.
“If I keep this level,” said Paolini, a 28-year-old from Italy, “I think I can have the chance to do great things.”
This match was as back-and-forth as could be.
Fittingly, the last game took 14 points to decide, with Krejcikova needing to fend off a pair of break chances. She eventually converted her third match point when Paolini missed a backhand.
“I was just telling myself to be brave,” said Krejcikova, who also owns seven Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, including two at Wimbledon, and three in mixed doubles.
She was great at the outset, taking 10 of the initial 11 points and five of the initial six games as the crowd, likely hoping to see a more competitive contest, pulled loudly for Paolini, yelling “Forza!” (“Let’s go!”), the way she often does, or “Calma!” (“Be calm!”).
“She was taking the ball earlier,” Paolini said, “and she was moving me.”
In the early going, Paolini looked very much like someone burdened by residual fatigue from the longest women’s semifinal in Wimbledon history, her 2-hour, 51-minute win over Donna Vekic on Thursday.
But after a trip to the locker room before the second set, Paolini took charge, controlling more of the longer baseline exchanges, while Krejcikova’s errors mounted.
From 3-all in the final set, Paolini faltered, double-faulting for the only time all afternoon to get broken. Krejcikova then held at love for 5-3 and soon was serving out the championship, no matter how tough things got down the stretch.
During the trophy ceremony, much as she did following her singles triumph in Paris in 2021, Krejcikova spoke about Novotna’s influence on her tennis life — and her life, in general.
Later Saturday, at Krejcikova’s news conference, she said Novotna frequently appears in her dreams. They’ll converse with each other, she explained.
A reporter asked Krejcikova what she’d like to say to Novotna now that they both are Wimbledon champions.
“Well, I think I would turn it around,” Krejcikova said with a smile. “I would like to hear what she would tell me.”
Dabrowski, Routliffe come up short
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe came up just short of winning a second Grand Slam title with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1) loss to Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend Saturday in the women’s doubles final at Wimbledon.
The fourth-seeded team of Czechia’s Siniakova and Townsend of the United States dominated the second set tiebreaker, with Routliffe hitting into her team’s third double-fault on match point.
Siniakova and Townsend rode a strong service game to the win. They had five aces to one for Dabrowski and Routliffe, and did not commit a double fault.
After winning the singles title earlier in the day, Katerina Siniakova takes the Wimbledon doubles crown with partner Taylor Townsend.
Dabrowski and Routliffe, who were seeded second at the All England Club, faced break point nine times, defending eight. They converted one of their four break-point chances against Siniakova and Townsend.
Dabrowski and Routliffe, who formerly represented Canada before switching to New Zealand, the country of her birth, were seeking their second Grand Slam title after winning the U.S. Open in 2023.
Dabrowski also made it to the Wimbledon final in 2019 with partner Xu Yifan. They lost 6-2, 6-4 to Czechia’s Barbora Strycova and Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan.
Despite the loss, the pair have enjoyed a successful grass-court season. They went 12-3 on the surface and reached the final at three tournaments, including a win last month in Nottingham, England.
It’s a second straight Grand Slam doubles title for Siniakova. She partnered with American Coco Gauff at the French Open, where they beat Italians Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the final.
Siniakova won seven major doubles titles before this year with Barbora Krejcikova, who won the Wimbledon women’s singles title on Friday.
It’s the first Grand Slam double title for Townsend after reaching two finals, including the 2023 French Open with partner Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que.
Townsend said it was Siniakova’s idea for the two of them to play together at Wimbledon.
“I’m so glad Katerina slid into my DMs,” Townsend said.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.
For now, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins’ starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.
“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility on Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.
“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said, noting that the only opinions that will matter to the team will be the ones from Tagovailoa and the medical staff.
McDaniel added that he doesn’t see Tagovailoa playing in Miami’s next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.
“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”
Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins’ offense.
“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
TORSBY, Sweden (AP) — David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson were among the soccer dignitaries who attended the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday in the Swedish manager’s small hometown of Torsby.
Eriksson’s wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the 600-seat Fryksande church.
“It is a day of grief but also a day of thankfulness,” the priest, Ingela Älvskog, told those in attendance.
Beckham, who arrived by private jet on Thursday, greeted Eriksson’s 95-year-old father Sven and other family members with hugs inside the church before the funeral started.
Eriksson became England’s first foreign-born coach when he led the national team from 2001-06, and made Beckham his captain.
Eriksson, who also won trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 76, eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.
Some 200 seats in the neo-Gothic church from 1898 were reserved for his family, friends and players from his career in the football world, according to his agent. The remaining seats were open for the public, according to Eriksson’s wish, with a big screen set up outside the church where hundreds more gathered to watch the ceremony. The funeral was also broadcast live on some Swedish media websites.
The wooden coffin was wheeled in by pallbearers at the church Friday morning as fog wrapped Torsby — a town of about 4,000 people located about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of Stockholm. Next to the casket was a photo of Eriksson on a small table. The floral wreaths included ones sent by FIFA and Lazio, the Italian team that Eriksson led to the Serie A title in 2000.
The ceremony began with somber piano and organ music, but later took on a more upbeat note with Swedish singer Charlotta Birgersson performing Elton John’s song “Candle In The Wind” and then “My Way” in a duet with Johan Birgersson, who later intoned the popular Italian song “Volare” after the family had gathered around the casket to lay flowers.
Beckham also visited Eriksson in Sweden in June to say goodbye. Others attending the funeral included the Swedish coach’s longtime partner Nancy Dell’Olio. Eriksson’s agent had said that guests from England, Italy and Spain were expected.
After the funeral, the casket was carried out of the church by eight men to the hearse. The guests then walked in a procession accompanying the coffin to a nearby museum where speeches and eulogies to the coach fondly known as “Svennis” were planned on an outdoor stage. A brass band played during the procession through Torsby, including the tune “You never walk alone” from the musical “Carousel” which has become the anthem of Liverpool, the club Eriksson supported since childhood.
The local soccer club Torsby IF, where Eriksson started his career in the 1960s, wrote on its webpage that “you also showed your greatness by always being yourself, the caring Svennis who talked to everyone and took the time, for big and small, asking how things were and how the football was going. We will miss you.”
