Home / Tennis / Barbora Krejcikova not expecting much from Paris

Barbora Krejcikova not expecting much from Paris

There are no guarantees in Paris, but Barbora Krejcikova, the World No.2, is thinking long term, as she is back after an elbow injury.

By Niranjan Shivalkar | May 21, 2022 | 2 Min Read

Barbora Krejcikova is keeping her expectations low as she prepares to defend her crown at Roland Garros. She is happy to be back on the court after being sidelined by an elbow injury since February. There are no guarantees in Paris, but Krejcikova, the World No.2, is thinking long term, with the goal of restoring the game that propelled her to the top of the 2021 rankings.

‘I don’t really expect much’

“I don’t think expecting is something good for me. Expecting myself to do well after being injured for a long time, I don’t really think that. But I think that I can be a good opponent. I think I can play well. And even after being injured, I think I had some time to recover and to practice, so I have been preparing for this. So I believe when I start playing matches, I can be really dangerous again and I can do well here as well.” expressed Krejcikova.

Defending Champion

Last year in Paris, Krejcikova had a Cinderella run to not one but two victories. Unseeded in singles and boosted by memories of her mentor Jana Novotna, the 26-year-old raced through the field, including victories against Elina Svitolina, Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff, and Maria Sakkari, whom she saved match points against in the quarterfinal. She went on to win all of the championships, including doubles with partner Katerina Siniakova.

“Last year nobody, not even me, nobody really expected that I’m gonna win in singles and doubles. Being back here and being able to play and to play such a big tournament, such a big Grand Slam again, so many nice memories from last year.” Krejcikova said.

‘I was off for quite a long time didn’t expect it’

Krejcikova did not anticipate being out for as long as she was. After a good start to the season that included a run to the Sydney final and the Australian Open quarterfinals, her last match was a Round of 16 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in Doha. She feels the matches she has been playing since last spring have caught up with her. “I was off for quite a long time. I didn’t expect it, to be honest. But I’m healthy right now. So I’m looking forward to build up with matches and to get back to the form.” stated Krejcikova.