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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday September 5 2021

 
Krejcikova

Barbora Krejcikova overcame a late spell of dizziness to overcome Garbine Muguruza in straight sets.

Photo Source: Getty

Barbora Krejcikova was more than excited to make her Arthur Ashe debut on Sunday against Garbiñe Muguruza. The Czech was featured in the New York Times, and talked about how she wanted to be a player who can make the show on the sports’ biggest stages.

Tennis Express

Her performance on Sunday was pitch-perfect through a set and a half, then she found herself in a heated tussle with the Spaniard. Finally, at 5-5 in the second set, Krejcikova began suffering from an ailment that affected her breathing and made her dizzy like never before.

Things unravelled from there, but the Czech - somehow - find away to pull away with the victory, 6-3, 7-6(4).

It looked to be headed in Muguruza's favor when the Czech returned from a medical timeout, suddenly suffering from an ailment and wearing a look of pain and confusion on her face.

Krejcikova had left the court before serving at 5-6, for medical treatment. How would she continue when she returned, with Muguruza seeming holding the momentum, and Krejcikova now looking to be far less than 100 percent?

The Czech reeled off seven consecutive points against Muguruza, who was frustrated by the length of Krejcikova’s medical timeout and the fact that the Czech, clearly suffering, was now taking a long time to go to the towel between each point of their third-set tiebreaker.


Remarkably, Krejcikova’s timing and deep, driving groundstrokes didn’t suffer. She was able to finish the match despite a late push by Muguruza, and close out a 6-2, 7-6(4) victory to move into the quarterfinals on her US Open debut.

It was a bizarre conclusion, with Muguruza first looking like she wasn’t going to shake hands at all as she went directly to her chair. She then headed to the net to meet Krejcikova.


The Czech commenced an apology to Muguruza, but the Spaniard did not want to hear it. She called Krejcikova "So unprofessional" and took her leave as Krejcikova sat in her chair, stunned. The No.8 seed, who faces Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, was unable to do her on-court interview and left her gear on court as she eventually headed off court with medical staff.

Muguruza did her press conference after briefly cooling down. She did not want to talk about the incident and said that people can judge for themselves. She was brave to talk to reporters at all, and handled herself well.

Krejcikova released quotes through the tournament.

“I think I started the match really well and was playing good tennis,” she said. “The key was to start the match well. There were a lot breaks which was difficult but I was happy that I won the first set 6-3. Out of nowhere I got the lead 4-0 and then things started to get complicated. Garbine started to raise her level and I was expecting that. At the end I was really struggling and I feel really bad right now. I don’t really know what happened but I couldn’t breathe. I started to feel dizzy and the whole world was shaking. It never happened to me before.”

It was a difficult way to finish a long awaited Arthur Ashe debut for the 25-year-old. Surely, it wasn’t the way she wanted to earn what was both an important and impressive win.

“I just gave my all at the end. It’s tough because it was my first time on such a big court playing the night session and I was really having fun until then,” she said.

 

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