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Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova back on top after a roller-coaster three years

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/14

Priyan

Barbora Krejcikova's two major titles could each be categorized as a surprise victory. (ESPN)

Even Barbora Krejcikova didn’t think she would win the singles title at Wimbeldon.

Her late mentor, Jana Novotna, had won in 1998 and, before Novotna died of cancer in 2017, she had told Krejcikova to win a Grand Slam. When Krejcikova did just that at the French Open four years later, she was sure it was because Novotna was looking out for her from above.

But Krejcikova still didn’t think she would repeat the feat at the All England Club. That was just too much of a miracle. “I never dreamed that I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998,” she said Saturday.

And with the season she was having, few believed she had a chance this year. She’d had a back injury, an illness that sidelined her, a winless season on clay and a plummeting ranking.

But at Wimbledon, the 28-year-old Krejcikova’s self-belief grew with every match she played. And on Saturday, she exceeded her wildest dreams and won the Wimbledon title with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini in the final. But while she called it “the best day” of her career and life on the court, Krejcikova didn’t seem to be thinking about any larger implications.

“I still feel the same,” Krejcikova said. “It’s great that I’m a two-time major champion. It’s something unbelievable. I mean, on the other hand, I’m still the same person. I still love tennis very much. I still want to continue playing tennis well and fight for other tournaments.

AS A 12-YEAR-OLD, Krejcikova wrote down her ultimate goal: to win the French Open. Hoisting the trophy on the red clay at Roland Garros was what motivated her during her early days and what she pictured when she closed her eyes at the end of the day.

But meeting Novotna changed things, and she started to think about what it would be like to win Wimbledon. They had started working together when Krejcikova was 18 and had just finished her junior career. Krejcikova was unsure if she should turn professional, and her parents encouraged her to write a letter to Novotna, a former world No. 2 and fellow Czech, asking for advice. Novotna responded a week later and the two began working together soon after. Novotna told Krejcikova she had potential and encouraged her to turn pro.

They quickly grew close and Krejcikova valued her guidance and friendship. Novotna told her stories about Wimbledon. What the grass was like. How hard it was to become the champion.

“I think since then I started to see Wimbledon [as] the biggest tournament in the world,” Krejcikova said on Saturday.

But it was at the French Open in 2021 where she would win that first major title she had dreamed about.

Playing in just the fifth major main draw of her career, and as an unseeded player, Krejcikova formally introduced herself to the tennis world with a dynamic run to the title, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, in the final. She had already won the doubles titles at the French Open and Wimbledon (both with fellow countrywoman Katerina siniakova and three mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open, but had largely been a nonfactor in singles play.

Since her breakthrough in Paris, she has continued to play doubles and find success. She and Siniakova won the French Open doubles title the day after she earned the singles trophy, and together went on to claim four more Grand Slam doubles titles and Olympic gold in Tokyo before splitting as a team at the end of the 2023 season.

But consistent results in singles have proven tougher. Krejcikova made her debut in the main draw at both Wimbledon and the US Open after her triumph in Paris in 2021. By the end of the summer, after reaching the fourth round and the quarterfinals respectively, Krejcikova had cracked the top five.

She opened the 2022 season with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open and reached the world No. 2 ranking by February. But then things took a turn. An arm injury kept her sidelined for months and she returned just in time for the French Open. She lost in the first round. She then had to withdraw from doubles the following day after testing positive for COVID.

There was a turnaround at the start of 2023. Krejcikova reached the fourth round at the Australian Open and then won the 1000-level title at Dubai after defeating four top-10 players, including No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the final. She hoped it would finally put her in the conversation among the top players in the game.

“When I read something on social media, it’s about Iga, Aryna [Sabalenka], and Elena [Rybakina] — I’m not really there,” Krejcikova told WTA Insider a few weeks later. “What else should I do? How should I prove it again? … I want to be mentioned as well. I want to be recognized as well because I think I deserve it. I’ve had a lot of success on the tour and I just don’t get the credit.”

But she couldn’t back up her words with her play. She lost in the first round of the 2023 French Open and had to retire from her second-round match at Wimbledon with an ankle injury. She went 0-2 in the hard-court tournaments ahead of the US Open and then lost her opener in New York. She salvaged her season by winning in singles and doubles at San Diego soon after, but by the end of the season she had split with her longtime coach and with Siniakova in doubles — and went back to the drawing board in the brief offseason.

Krejcikova opened 2024 with a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open, but a back injury kept her out for much of the hard-court season. She returned in time for the clay portion of the schedule but she went 0-4, including at the French Open. Grass wasn’t looking like it would be much better. She won two matches in Birmingham but then lost in the first round in Eastbourne. Her ranking dropped to No. 32.

She was optimistic — but even she wasn’t expecting to do this well at Wimbledon.

Match by match she raised her level and found ways to dispatch higher-cranked opponents, including No. 11 seed Danielle Collins in the fourth round and No. 13 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals. But it was her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback victory in the semifinals over Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and remaining favorite, that truly showed everyone just how good she could be when at her best.

“During the season it was very difficult. I have had many difficult periods,” Krejcikova said after her semifinal victory. “I never really imagined that in four weeks I could reach a Wimbledon final, that I can be a different player. But I’m super happy that I am [and] that I was able to fight through everything.”

She has been more relaxed this tournament as well, especially when compared to her run at the French Open three years ago. On the court, she’s visibly more composed and celebratory And off the court, it’s clear she’s enjoying herself. Starting during a rain delay ahead of a doubles match (she reached the quarterfinals with Laura Siegemund), Krejcikova began doing a Twitter Q&A with fans. It’s something she has continued, including during her off day on Friday. She has touched on everything from baking to music to Legos.

“Before the tournament, I had a tough period,” Krejcikova said on Thursday. “I just told myself that I will try to enjoy everything more. … In the end so far I think I [am] very, very successful in doing that. I’m definitely enjoying this moment much more than I did in Paris, which was more stressful for me.”

Krejcikova leaves Wimbledon now ranked No. 10 in the world, but perhaps most importantly, she seems content with her play and how she’s perceived by others.

While she may or may not be considered at the same level as Swiatek and the rest of the top-ranked players, she is in the same category as Novotna: Wimbledon champions. She stopped to look at her newly engraved name on the list of winners shortly after her victory on Saturday.

“[It was a] very emotional moment to see me on a board right next to [Novotna],” she said. “I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I’m on a same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her.”

(ESPN)

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Oil nears $110 a barrel after gas field strike

Published

18 hours ago

2026/03/19

Priyan

Facilities on the South Pars gas field pictured in 2016 [BBC]

Oil prices leapt to nearly $110 a barrel after Iranian media reported an airstrike hitting a facility on the world’s largest natural gas field.

The Brent crude oil benchmark hit $109.91 a barrel just after 14:30 GMT, more than 5% higher than Tuesday’s prices, but has since fallen slightly.

The benchmark UK gas price also jumped by 6% to 143.53p a therm before falling back below the 140p mark.

The surge followed reports Iran’s petrochemical complex on the South Pars gas field had been hit. Several hours later, Qatar reported that there was “extensive damage” at the Ras Laffan industrial site following threats from Iran.

While the price of both oil and gas spiked, they remained below highs seen earlier in the conflict.

Oil reached $116.78 a barrel on 9 March, while UK gas reached 162.55p a therm on 3 March.

Iran’s oil ministry said a fire at the petrochemical complex was under control, according to Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran’s military warned it would take “decisive action” in response to the strike on its energy infrastructure.

“As previously warned, if the fuel, energy, gas, and economic infrastructures of our country are attacked by the American-Zionist enemy, in addition to a powerful counterattack against the enemy, we will severely strike the origin of that aggression as well,” the military said in a statement published by Tasnim.

“We consider targeting the fuel, energy, and gas infrastructures of the countries of origin legitimate and will retaliate strongly at the earliest opportunity.”

Qatar also operates facilities on the gas field, which it calls North Dome.

But the country, which produces a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas, had halted production earlier in March in response to the conflict.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said strikes against energy infrastructure “constitutes a threat to global energy security”.

Just after 1815 GMT, the Qatari interior minister said it was responding to “a fire in the Ras Laffan area following an Iranian targeting”. Qatar’s petrol firm QatarEnergy later said there was “extensive damage” at the site.

The interior minister said just after 1900 GMT that it had “initially brought the fire in Ras Laffan under control, with no injuries reported”.

Ras Laffan was among the sites listed by Iran in a warning that it would take “decisive action” after its South Pars gas field facilities were reportedly hit by Israeli strikes.

‘Energy markets will likely remain volatile’

AJ Bell’s head of financial analysis Danni Hewson said the attack and retaliation by Iran had “helped dial up the temperature once again and put renewed upward pressure on oil prices”.

“Any solution to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz looks pretty distant at this point and until there is progress on that front, energy markets will likely remain volatile,” she added.

The White House on Wednesday responded to the rising oil price by saying it was suspending the Jones Act — a 1920 law that says only American-made ships can be used to transport goods between US ports.

US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 60-day waiver of the rules, which are intended to boost shipbuilding, will allow “vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertiliser, and coal to flow freely” as non-American-made ships can now be used.

However, maritime groups in the US said the effect would be minimal, noting that oil prices, not shipping costs, are behind rising prices at the pump.

Experts say earlier efforts by world leaders to ease price pressures, including an unprecedented release of oil reserves, have done little to reduce oil prices.

Meanwhile, Iran has also suspended the flow of gas to Iraq to shore up domestic supplies, a senior Iraqi official told Reuters.

The vast majority of Iran’s gas supply – 94% – is used domestically, according to data from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.

[BBC]

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Heat Index at ‘Caution Level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-central, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts

Published

19 hours ago

2026/03/19

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 18 March 2026, valid for 19 March 2026

The general public are cautioned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-central, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.

Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.

Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.

Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.

Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Latest News

Four dead 32 injured in head on collision at Weerawila

Published

1 day ago

2026/03/18

Priyan

(Pic PRIYAN DE SILVA)

Four persons including a Budhist monk died and 32 others were injured when two SLTB buses collided head on at Weerawila at arond 12 noon today (18).

Three of the deceased were women. 22 of the injured were admitted to the Hambanthota Hospital while 10 others have been admitted to the Debarawewa hospital.