In July, Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon, the second Grand Slam of her career. Here at the U.S. Open, her first Grand Slam as reigning Wimbledon champion, Krejcikova played on Court 5. An outer court.
Not one of the show courts, like Ashe, Armstrong or Grandstand. When asked about this assignment, Krejcikova didn’t mince words. “It’s a Court 5,” she said. Krejcikova hasn’t shied away from expressing her feelings about a perceived lack of respect for her exploits.
After she won the French Open in 2021, the Czech felt left out of discussions about the top of the game and, in turn, left off the show courts that help lesser-known but winning players gain popularity.
That was when she only had one Slam, and now, three years later, she is experiencing the same situation. Krejcikova defeated Marina Bassols Ribera 7-6(3), 6-2, in her first match playing on hard courts after the Olympics, and will play qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the second round.
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