Martina Navratilova
had a question. She wanted to know how
Barbora Krejcikova
had the guts to knock on
Jana Novotna
's door when the late champion returned home to Brno, in the Czech Republic?
It was that kind of a trophy presentation ceremony, where emotions ran riot. And the mood was light. Krejcikova cradled the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen and smiled blithely. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was perfectly poised. The speeches and conversations that rang out of Roland Garros on Saturday evening were comforting. It is what the world needed in these difficult times.
The 25-year-old, who added the doubles title to her singles conquest, playing alongside compatriot
Katerina Siniakova
, becoming the first woman in 21 years to achieve the double in Paris, didn't have to point out that her bond with Novotna was special.
"When I found out that she was sick and that it wasn't going to end well," said Krejcikova, of the time when her mentor was diagnosed with cancer. "I felt I have to be there at the end of her life. I knew it's going to be really bad. My parents were telling me not to go, but I felt I have to go and support her."
"I felt that if I'm going to go through this process, it's going to give me a lot of strength. I'm going to appreciate things more. It was my decision. I was supporting her, as she was supporting me when I started."
On Sunday, Krejcikova and Siniakova beat
Bethanie Mattek-Sands
of the United States and
Iga Swiatek
of Poland, 6-4, 6-2 to win the doubles crown.
"I think she was happy that I was there. That's why she's looking after me right now. That's actually why I have this many Grand Slams," Krejcikova said of the three doubles and one singles Slam victories. "She's somewhere above looking after me. She knows what it means to me, and I know what it would mean to her."
After Krejcikova reached out to Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon champion scheduled a practice session with the teenager.
"I was nervous, she was such a big tennis player," she said. "She was always nice, warm." Krejcikova, who'll get back the No. 1 doubles ranking on Monday, was taught well. "Doesn't matter how many titles you're going to win," she said, "you have to say hello, please, and thank you. It's important to behave very nice."
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