The previous tournament winner in Tallinn beat Roland Garros this year and won the US Open for the first time in his career in three hours and 17 minutes. In her eighth final participation on the WTA circuit, she won her fifth victory.

“I’m really happy. It was a tough game where one ball was decided. I’m happy to win it in front of the home crowd. It was amazing how the people came, cheered for both teams and I think we both enjoyed it. They came out, we were the match which is amazing and I’m very happy that I was the winner,” Krejčíková said in an interview for O2 TV Sport.

Krejčíková, a two-time Roland Garros winner last year, inflicted Šwiatek’s first final loss in more than three years. The leading woman in the world rankings and three-time Grand Slam champion lost her final and only title match in April 2019 in Lugano with Polona Hercog of Slovenia. He lost after the last ten wins and the last ten matches.

Krejčíková became the first Czech winner in Ostrava. Two years ago, Aryna Sabalenková from Belarus succeeded on hard courts, last year Anett Kontaveitová from Estonia won.

“If someone had said this to me two weeks ago, when I was in a state of regret…, I would not have believed it. Now that I am here, I have won two tournaments and it is an amazing feeling. I have played a lot of difficult matches i won and turned around. I was mentally strong in the final. I’m happy that after I didn’t do well in singles and I was sad about it, everything finally came together and I started playing good tennis again. I can’t wait to continue this,” added Krejčíková , who worked in the spring with an elbow injury.

The 26-year-old Czech started a promising run at the sold-out Ostravar Arena and had three break points in the third game. But he didn’t use any of them, and Poland won four games in a row to take a 5:1 lead. Krejčíková fought back, turned the set point and equalized at 5:5.

In the eleventh game, Krejčíková earned three more break points, but Šwiateková was able to hold off on some tough moments. She then took a 40:15 lead on the Czech’s serve and won the set to her advantage at the third try after 74 minutes.

The Brno-born tennis player broke early in the second set and avoided three break points in the fourth game. However, at 4:3, she also dropped serve and after the match ended in evens, the set became a shortened game. In it, Krejčíková took a 6:1 lead, using a fourth set point and forcing a continuation. Šwiateková lost in a set in the final after ten matches and 21 sets won. Krejčíková was also successful in the third tie-break in Ostrava.

Before the deciding set, Krejčíková jumped into the background. Both players held serve until the eighth game, when the Czech broke and served out for the win. Although Šwiateková avoided five match points and booed the fans, Ivančice’s tennis player sealed the duel with an ace in the sixth set.

“I congratulate you, Báro. You are a great player. We haven’t seen you much this season, but we are happy to have you back. Your tennis is very stable and we need players like you on the circuit. There is no doubt about that,” said Šwiateková , who couldn’t hide her tears as she was applauded by fans.

Barbora Krejčíková with the winning trophy: