Despite being separated by just four years in age and one place in the rankings, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova are at vastly different stages of their Grand Slam journeys.
Pavlyuchenkova became the first female player to reach her maiden major final after playing more than 50 Grand Slam main draws.
Krejcikova has arrived at the same stage in just her fifth.
Despite Pavlyuchenkova having accrued significantly more big-stage experience in singles, the great leveller, when she and Krejcikova meet in Saturday’s Roland Garros final, is the fact this is unchartered territory for both.
Plus, they have never before met, adding another intriguing layer to a final that, it is fair to assume, nobody predicted at the beginning of this surprise-soaked Parisian fortnight.
“What took you so long?”
Less surprising has been Pavlyuchenkova’s progress, considering the talent she exhibited from a young age.
She was the world No.1 junior and Australian Open girls’ singles champion at the age of 14 and just five years later verged on the top 10 when she peaked at world No.13 in July 2011.
“Fourteen-year-old me would tell me, like, what took you so long?” she said after beating Tamara Zidansek 7-5 6-3 in the semifinals. “It's been a long road. I had my own long special road. Everybody has different ways.
“I'm just happy I'm in the final.”
Krejcikova, conversely, excelled in doubles earlier in her career, winning two major titles with fellow Czech Katerina Siniakova in 2018. But in singles, she was ranked outside the top 200 as recently as April 2019.
Unexpected success
While Pavlyuchenkova has had by far the more decorated singles career, few people – even herself – assumed it would include such a successful run in Paris.
She had failed to win a Grand Slam quarterfinal in six previous attempts, and is currently ranked 32nd, barely scraping into a seeded position as the women’s singles draw was unveiled.
“I guess you can't expect those things. I was just there working hard, doing everything possible,” said the 29-year-old, who beat Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka earlier in the tournament.
“I just said to myself: this year let's do whatever it takes, anything you can do to improve your game, your mentality. Started working with a sports psychologist, everything.
“I wanted to give it a try so I have no regrets after.”
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World No.33 Krejcikova was unseeded coming to Paris, but had just won the WTA title in Strasbourg. It was the latest in a run of great results for the 25-year-old Czech, who earlier in 2021 reached the Dubai final and who began the season ranked 65th.
Despite building an 11-match winning streak after her dramatic 7-5 4-6 9-7 semifinal triumph over Maria Sakkari, Krejickova - like Pavlyuchenkova - was surprised to have advanced to this stage.
“I never imagined that I'm going to be actually a Grand Slam finalist. It sounds, I mean, incredible,” she said.
“I cannot believe it it's actually happening. I cannot believe it.”
Krejcikova’s progress has been infused with emotion, most intensely following her semifinal triumph when she blew a kiss skyward in honour of her late coach Jana Novotna – the popular Czech champion who guided her younger countrywoman from 2014 to 2016 – before her voice cracked when mentioning Novotna during her on-court interview.
“Like every time before the match or after the match I just feel like she's there, she's looking after me,” Krejcikova revealed.
Pavlyuchenkova’s path, has been notably devoid of emotion; her subdued reaction following her semifinal win even prompted a journalist to ask her about it.
But the Russian has instead discussed her success in maintaining a “neutral reaction” to her breakthrough in Paris without placing too much importance of the weight of this achievement – part of the mental work she has been doing that has led her to this point.
“I was playing that last game I was serving for (against Zidansek), I was totally in my zone, focusing. I'm here right now. I know what I have to do,” she said.
“I would love to go further and to get more. I'm happy, but I still focused and I feel like I can do better maybe. That's what I want at least.”
Daring to dream
One thing Pavlyuchenkova has allowed herself to think about, however, is the possibility of ultimate Grand Slam success.
And she will get the opportunity to realise that on Saturday.
“I think about it all the time. Like been thinking about it since I was a junior, since I was a little kid, since I started playing tennis,” she revealed.
“That's what you playing for. That's what you want. It's been there in my head forever.”
Krejcikova’s, too.
“I always wanted to play tournaments like this, big tournaments, big opponents, last rounds. It was always something that I wanted to achieve,” the 25-year-old said.
“It just took me some time, but I think right now it's actually right moment. Especially mentally I think I'm just there. I really matured. I just really appreciate things a lot.
“Anastasia, she's really good player, really experienced. She's in a final, so she must be on a roll.
“I'm just really going to enjoy it because I was never expecting to actually be this far.”