Paris (AFP)
The Roland-Garros ladies final pits two players on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) who knew how to seize their chance in a table that was depopulated more quickly than expected from its headliners: the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or the Czech Barbora Krejcikova will expand their track record with a first major title.
Also engaged in doubles, Pavlyuchenkova -associated with Elena Rybakina- was eliminated in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
But Krejcikova, associated with Katerina Siniakova with whom she won the 2018 edition of the Parisian Major, qualified for the final scheduled for Sunday.
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The last player to have reached the singles and doubles finals at Roland Garros the same year was Lucie Safarova in 2015. But the last to have won them was Mary Pierce in 2000.
Organic
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Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russian, 29, 32nd in the world, 1.76m, right-handed, two-handed backhand)
Born in Samara (Russia), she lives in Dubai.
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She reached her best ranking on July 4, 2011, placing 13th in the WTA.
She would go back to 14th place in the event of a title on Saturday.
She racked up $ 10.6 million on the tour.
17 years ago, Anastasia Myskina and Elena Dementieva were the first Russians to reach the final of a Grand Slam, followed by Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina and then Vera Zvonareva.
For six years and 24 Majors, no Russian had reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament, the last being Sharapova in Australia in 2015, beaten by Serena Williams.
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Barbora Krejcikova (Czech, 25, 33rd in the world, 1.78m, right-handed, two-handed backhand)
Born in Brno (Czech Republic), she lives in Ivancice (Czech Republic)
She reached her best ranking, 33rd, on May 31, 2021. She is guaranteed to be at least 22nd on Monday.
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She accumulated $ 3.6 million on the circuit, including a doubles game where she won 8 titles (including Roland-Garros 2018).
Awards
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Pavlyuchenkova
12 singles titles: Strasbourg 2018;
Rabat, Monterrey, Hong Kong 2017;
Linz 2015;
Paris, Moscow 2014;
Monterrey, Oeiras 2013;
Monterrey 2011;
Monterrey, Istanbul 2010.
Best Grand Slam result: final at Roland-Garros 2021, quarter-finals at the Australian Open 2017, 2019, 2020, at Wimbledon 2016, at the US Open 2011. This is his 14th participation at Roland-Garros and the 52nd overall in Major.
This year she reached the semi-finals in Madrid.
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Krejcikova
1 singles title: Strasbourg 2021
Best Grand Slam result: final at Roland-Garros 2021, and until then a round of 16 last year at Roland-Garros.
This is his third participation at Roland Garros and his 5th overall in Majors.
This year, she also reached the final in Dubai.
What they say
. Pavlyuchenkova: "I absolutely did not expect to be in the final. I just worked a lot and did everything possible to get there, including starting to work with a mental coach. 14 year old Anastasia me Looks like + What took you so long? + It's been a long road, it's been my own road. But (winning a Grand Slam tournament) it's something that has never left my mind. I thought about it when I was a junior, when I was a little girl, when I started playing tennis. That's the only goal of a tennis player. That's what 'we can achieve greater success. "
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Krejcikova: “I grew up in a small town where there was no professional coach. I didn't think I would be a pro myself. I just wanted to have fun. I loved playing tennis. When I was 16-17 years old, playing the ITF junior tournaments I started to think maybe I could make a career in tennis, but I never imagined becoming a Grand Slam finalist. So I'm going to have fun and fight to the end. "
© 2021 AFP