Barbora Krejcikova advances to Wimbledon quarterfinals, faces Elena Rybakina next

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Twenty-six years after Jana Novotna won the Wimbledon title, and seven years after her death, the woman she mentored is two matches away from following in her footsteps.

Barbora Krejcikova grew up in the same town as Novotna, Brno in the Czech Republic, and her enterprising parents simply turned up on the former champion’s doorstep.

Together, Krejcikova and Novotna built a game of subtlety and guile which on Wednesday sent the 28-year-old into her first Wimbledon semi-final with a straight sets win over Jelena Ostapenko.

The Latvian had not dropped more than three games in a set this fortnight, blasting her way through the draw. But Krejcikova disrupted Ostapenko’s rhythm and extracted 35 unforced errors.

Like Novotna, Krejcikova is a fine doubles player and has 10 Grand Slams across ladies and mixed, including three Wimbledon titles.

Barbora Krejcikova booked her first Wimbledon semi-final after beating Jelena Ostapenko

The Czech player will aim to emulate her mentor Jana Novtna (pictured in 1998) who died of cancer at the age of 49

The Czech player will aim to emulate her mentor Jana Novtna (pictured in 1998) who died of cancer at the age of 49

Standing in her way will be the title favourite - and 2022 champion - Elena Rybakina (pictured) who beat Elina Svitolina in straight sets

Standing in her way will be the title favourite – and 2022 champion – Elena Rybakina (pictured) who beat Elina Svitolina in straight sets

But the 2021 French Open remains her only singles major and she had never made it past the fourth round at the All England Club, the setting for the two defining moments of Novotna’s career. In 1993 she collapsed from 4-1 in the deciding set against Steffi Graf and wept on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent; five years later it was that same royal personage presenting her with the Venus Rosewater dish. A title for her protégée could be seen as the final act in Novotna’s Wimbledon trilogy.

No31 seed Krejcikova will face Elena Rybakina in Thursday’s semi-final, after the 2022 champion beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-2. The Kazak No4 seed is favourite for the title but Krejkicova has won both of their previous meetings and has the skill to spike Rybakina’s big guns.

Martina Navratilova was once asked by Novotna to practice with a young Krejcikova and her diagnosis was: ‘She didn’t have any obvious weapons, but her brain is her big weapon.’

Svitolina struggled against Rybakina's constant stream of winners and was overpowered

Svitolina struggled against Rybakina’s constant stream of winners and was overpowered

Rybakina was deadly against Svitolina, hitting 28 winners to her opponent’s eight, and serving seven aces.

Svitolina was helpless by the end. ‘It’s very, very difficult because I feel like I’m in a good form, like I played really good tennis,’ said Svitolina. ‘(But) when the opponent is striking the ball that big, everything goes in, serve goes really quick, lots of aces. It’s tough to do anything.

‘I was trying to dig, trying to fight but she didn’t really let me.’

Svitolina, 29, was asked where she would rank Rybakina’s smooth serve amongst all she has encountered in her career. ‘For sure top five,’ she replied. ‘It’s a great serve.’

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