Barbora Krejcikova (above, left) has spoken this week about the perspective she’s gained in her decade-plus on the pro tour; learning from the inevitable ups and downs that come both on and off the court.
The Czech baseliner would call upon that experience on Friday at the Cymbiotika San Diego Open, keeping her cool in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, two-hour, 21-minute comeback against American Danielle Collins. The fourth-seeded wildcard is now into her third final of 2023.
What makes her so tough to put away?
“Because I never give up,” said the 27-year-old.
The 2021 Roland Garros titlist has struggled with her service game through three matches at Barnes Tennis Center, amassing 19 double faults in all. But Krejcikova seemed to rediscover her rhythm bit by bit as her match against Collins progressed on Day 5.
“It was really difficult,” she said of the first encounter. “I expected that Danielle was going to play good tennis. She’s an aggressive player. In the first set, she was playing really well. But a tennis match is [winning] two sets. I kept fighting. I’ve definitely been working hard, and have been preparing for this.”
Krejcikova’s opponent in Saturday’s final at 4 p.m. will be the resurgent Sofia Kenin, who prevailed in an all-American semifinal showdown with Emma Navarro, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, in two hours and 10 minutes.
They have met just once before, on clay in Rome in 2021, with Krejcikova winning, 6-1, 6-4, in the second round.
Kenin, back up to No. 93 after falling outside the Top 400 last year, is into her first final in more than three years. She captured the Australian Open and rose to a career-high No. 4 in 2020.
Navarro, 22, was coming off the first Top-10 win of her career, a 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(4) quarterfinal upset of eighth-ranked Maria Sakkari. Appearing in her first 500-level semifinal, she pushed her more experienced opponent to the very limit. Despite the loss, she is projected to crack the Top 50 in the WTA rankings next week.
Kenin finished with 38 winners to 42 unforced errors and totaled two aces to seven doubles faults.
WC [4] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) vs. Sofia Kenin (USA)
Krejcikova got off to a strong start in 2023. In February, she powered her way to the WTA 1000 title in Dubai, knocking off four Top-10 seeds in the process, including Daria Kasatkina, Jessica Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka, and then-No. 1 Iga Swiatek. But it’s been a mixed bag since her lone highlight a run to the final on the grass in Birmingham. We’re starting to see that world-beating form again here in San Diego, where the Czech says she’s very much digging the scene.
“Since I got here from New York, I really liked this family atmosphere and this vibe from the very first moment,” said Krejcikova, who is also in the doubles championship with Katerina Siniakova. “I’m enjoying it, and I’m also performing my best tennis.”
Kenin is quite at home these days in America’s Finest City, too. Barnes Center, after all, is where she claimed the USTA Girls’ 18s Nationals title in 2015. Will she add to her trophy haul against Krejcikova in 2023? Stay tuned.
Q&A with US Open Girls’ Singles Champion Katherine Hui
San Diegan Katherine Hui (above, right) came to Barnes Tennis Center on Saturday to watch semifinal action at the Cymbiotika San Diego Open. She took a few minutes to meet with the media and reflect on her US Open Girls’ Singles title, captured last week in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

A graduate of Santa Fe Christian High School in Solana Beach, the former USTA Girls’ 18s Nationals finalist is set to embark on her collegiate career at Stanford. An exclusive:

You’ve joined an impressive list of players who’ve won the girls’ singles title in New York; names like Capriati, Davenport, Azarenka, and Vandeweghe. What does it feel like to be among them?
It’s so inspiring and motivating because there have been so many great players who have won it. That was definitely a confidence boost for me. I think I was just in shock a little bit. I was really happy. I felt like all of my work over the past two years, especially with my injury [a torn meniscus in 2021], really paid off. In my last junior tournament, it was a great way to end. I had surgery and was out for a little bit. That was definitely a little discouraging. I didn’t know at that point if my tennis would really continue to be competitive. That really motivated me to work hard, and I’m happy that I’m here now.
Talk about your decision to commit to Stanford as opposed to turning pro.
Stanford has been my dream school since I was little. I always had it in mind to at least go to college for a year or two as a stepping stone, to have that in my back pocket. My parents are really supportive of that. They want me to get an education, the experience. Stanford’s tennis program is just amazing. The team and the coaches are all so motivating. We really push each other. I’m excited to play pros in the future. What were your tennis dreams growing up, and who were your favorite players?
I didn’t really know I wanted to play professionally until I was 13 or 14. My first favorite tennis player was Maria Sharapova. Now I love watching Iga [Swiatek] play. Obviously, [Roger] Federer is my favorite of all time. I played qualifying for the US Open, so I was in the same locker rooms as the women. It was so crazy just being around them. I passed Carlos Alcaraz. We were sitting near each other in the restaurant. I was literally going to pass out. I was in awe because he’s just amazing. My dad took a picture with him.

Cymbiotika San Diego Open – Barnes Tennis Center
$ 780,637
Results – Friday, Sept. 15
SF – [1] B. Krejcikova (CZE) / K. Siniakova (CZE) d. M. Kato (JPN) / A. Sutjiadi (INA) 64 75
SF – [WC] D. Collins (USA) / C. Vandeweghe (USA) d. [2] S. Aoyama (JPN) / Z. Yang (CHN) 75 46 10-7
SF – [WC] S. Kenin (USA) d. [Q] E. Navarro (USA) 62 57 64
SF – [WC] [4] B. Krejcikova (CZE) d. D. Collins (USA) 36 75 62

Schedule – Saturday, Sept 16
BARNES STADIUM starts at 4 p.m.
[WC] S. Kenin (USA) vs [WC] [4] B. Krejcikova (CZE)
[30 minutes after singles] [1] B. Krejcikova (CZE) / K. Siniakova (CZE) vs [WC] D. Collins (USA) / C. Vandeweghe (USA).