Surprise, surprise! Unlikely Wimbledon contenders Krejcikova and Paolini meet in the women’s final

LONDON (AP) — Barbora Krejcikova had a bad back and just a handful of wins this season before Wimbledon.

So, yeah, she’s pretty surprised to have reached the final at the All England Club on Saturday against No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, who is equally amazed to be one step away from the title.

Neither has played in a Wimbledon singles final before — Paolini was 0-3 at the grass-court major before this tournament started — and their meeting ensures there will be yet another new champion. Wimbledon has seen seven women win the past seven singles titles, dating to when Serena Williams won her seventh in 2016.

“I have had many difficult periods. I never really imagined that ... I could reach a Wimbledon final, that I can be a different player,” said Krejcikova, who won the 2021 French Open for her only Grand Slam singles title.

Both Krejcikova and Paolini dropped their first set in the semifinals before fighting back to reach the final.

Krejcikova, the No. 31 seed, ousted 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court after Paolini outlasted Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) in the longest Wimbledon women’s semifinal on record.