Seldom will one find a tennis player who hasn’t once dreamt of playing against the talented Williams sisters. This year’s Wimbledon finalist, Barbora Krejcikova, is no exception. After joining Serena and Venus Williams in a feat last year, Krejcikova’s admiration for the legends was visible to all. Now, before her big final, this Czech player pays tribute to them.

Krejcikova has reached the Wimbledon finals, and she is all set to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini. Before appearing for such an important match, Krejcikova asked her fans to share their questions, promising to answer these after her practice session. When she was asked whether she misses the talented Williams sisters in tennis, this Czechia player replied, “I kind of missed them unfortunately. When I started becoming solid in singles, they retired.”

Krejcikova debuted in the WTA tour with the Gastein Ladies 2014 doubles with Katerina Siniakova. Next year, she played her first singles match in Tournoi de Quebec. After qualifying for the draw, Krejcikova reached the second round, where Lucie Hradecká defeated her. In 2013, Serena Williams was in her peak form as she finished that season as number 1 for the third time. That year, she also won 11 tournaments, including the Roland Garros and the US Open.

Williams also bagged both the US Open and WTA Finals titles in the next year. Venus Williams bagged her last Wimbledon title in 2016, and she is still playing professionally despite her baby sister retiring in 2022. While she is not performing as she did during her peak, Krejcikova was just at the beginning of her career and couldn’t get a hold of any of the two sisters on the court.

Krejcikova’s statements echoed her feelings about reaching her desired form after the Williams sisters’ dominating era in tennis. Last year, when she won the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championship, she joined her favorite WTA stars in a record and expressed her utmost happiness about it.

Delighted Barbora Krejcikova said “It’s a huge privilege” after joining the Williams sisters in an achievement

Last year this Czechia player defeated world number 1 Iga Swiatek at the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship. Before this, Krejcikova defeated Jessica Pegula in the semifinals and Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. She was the fifth WTA player from her country to defeat three top-ranked WTA players in a singles tournament.

Before her, the Williams sisters were the ones to hold this achievement. Post-match, when she was asked about her feelings about sharing the stage with such legends, Krejcikova said, “It’s a huge privilege. It’s a huge privilege. Yeah, I mean, I’m not really following that much, these things. I try to focus on tennis and on my performance. But definitely, I mean, it’s a big achievement and I think it’s going to give me a lot of confidence that I can play with the best ones,”

Krejcikova is another admirer of Serena and Venus Williams. She also feels sad thinking she got her pace right after they retired or is on the verge of retiring. Despite reaching the finals, such humble thoughts express the positive side of Barbora Krejcikova, making her a true contender for the title. So, do you think this Czech player has a chance in the finals?