Number 31 seed Barbora Krejcikova held off seventh-seed Italian Jasmine Paolini to win her maiden Wimbledon title and second Grand Slam trophy, after coming through 6-2 2-6 6-4 on a sunlit Centre Court on Saturday. The Czech doubles specialist carved out a flawless opening set, winning 10 of the first 11 points, en route to securing a double break in the opening half hour of the match. Poalini roared back into the match, securing a double break in the second set to force a decider, but the Czech grabbed the momentum back after the Italian double-faulted serving at 3-all.
Serving for the Venus Rosewater Dish at 5-4, Krejcikova just about held her nerve, wasting two match points and saving two break points before sealing victory at the third time of asking.
“I was just telling myself to be brave and if the game doesn’t go my way it’s still 5-5 and we continue,” Krejcikova looked back at the dramatic final set as Czech-born nine-time singles champion Martina Navratilova watched from the stands.
How much prize money did Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova pocket?
Krejcikova, who became the fourth Czech player to lift the Wimbledon women’s singles title in the Open Era after her one-time mentor Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova and last year’s champion Marketa Vondrousova, pocketed £2.7 million payout. The amount is 15 per cent more than what Vondrousova took home following her 2023 title haul.
Paolini, on the other hand, who became the sixth women to loet both the French Open and Wimbledon finals in the same year: Evonne Goolagong (1972), Chris Evert (1973 and 1984), Olga Morozova (1974), Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (1995 and 1996) and Venus Williams (2002), took home £1.4 million.
“With this year’s championships only days away, I am delighted to announce a record prize money fund of £50 million, with increases for players in every round and across every event,” Deborah Jevans, chair of the All England Club, the host of Wimbledon, said in a statement.
