Barbora Krejcikova could be first woman in 21 years to win French Open Singles and Doubles Titles

Barbora Krejcikova French Open

Barbora Krejcikova could be the first woman in 21 years to win both the singles and doubles finals at Roland Garros. The Czech player is unseeded in the singles. Krejčíková is second seed in the doubles with Kateřina Siniaková.

The Czech pairing dropped only one set reaching the final, which will take place on Sunday. Krejčíková and Siniaková play the 14th seeds. Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Iga Świątek defeated the top seeds and also only lost one set. The doubles final will be a thrilling affair with the Czech pair as the favorites to take the title.

Barbora Krejcikova Singles

Krejčíková defeated four seeded players to reach the French Open final. The closest of the match ups was against Greek Maria Sakkari. The 17th seed pushed the Czech the full distance with Sakkari keeping the match close. Krejčíková managed to break the Greek and took the match to get into the final.

If the Czech wins both finals she will join an exclusive club. The last time the same woman won the singles and doubles at Roland Garros was in 2000. In that year Mary Pierce defeated Conchita Martinez in straight sets in the singles. Pierce had teamed up with Martina Hingis in the doubles and as third seeds they defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez in straight sets to take both trophies.

1980s

In 1984 American Martina Navratilova completed the double. Navratilova was the top seed in both the singles and doubles. The American lost the first set in the semifinal against Hana Mandlíková before battling back to make the final. Navratilova then defeated Chris Evert in the final, losing only four games.

The doubles saw Navratilova teamed up with Pam Shriver. The American pair made the final without losing a set. In the final Navratilova and Shriver were against Mandlíková and Claudia Kohde-Kilsch. The top seeds lost a tight first set before claiming the next two for the loss of four games.

Unsurprisingly, in 1982 it was Navratilova who claimed both titles. In the singles the American who was the second seed defeated the fourth seed Andrea Jaeger. After a first set battle that went to a tiebreak, Navratilova flew through the second set losing only one game. For the doubles Navratilova teamed up with Anne Smith and were the second seeds. The American pair faced Wendy Turnbull and Rosemary Casals and won in straight sets.
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1970s

In 1978 Romanian Virginia Ruzici completed the double. Ruzici was the second seed in the singles and unseeded in the doubles. The Romanian defeated the top seed Mima Jaušovec from Yugoslavia (as it was then) in straight sets in the singles. The doubles saw Ruzici and Jaušovec team up, defeating Lesley Bowrey & Gail Benedetti. The Australian/French pair took the first set, before Ruzici &  Jaušovec took the next two.

In 1975 American Chris Evert completed the double. Defeating her long term rival Martina Navratilova in the final of the singles. Navratilova was the second seed, and was at the time playing under the flag of Czechoslovakia, she had not yet “defected” to America. Evert lost the first set only able to take two games, but fought back and lost only three more games to lift the singles title.

In the 1975 doubles, Evert and Navratilova teamed up and were the second seeds. The defeated the top seeds Julie Anthony & Olga Vasilyevna Morozova in the final losing only five games across the two sets. This gave Evert back to back double at Roland Garros.

Obviously, as stated above, Evert did the double in 1974. In the singles she defeated Olga Vasilyevna Morozova in straight sets losing only three games. The doubles saw the American teamed up with Vasilyevna Morozova where they were taken to three sets in the final by Gail Chanfreau and Katja Ebbinghaus before lifting the title.
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Early 1970s

1973 Margaret Court did claim both titles. As top seed in the singles, the Australian defeated Evert in the final after a tough fought three-set match. The doubles paired Court with Briton Virginia Wade and the pair were top seeds. Their opponents in the final were second seeds Françoise Dürr & Betty Stöve. The French/Dutch pair were not match for Court/Wade who dropped five games over both sets to lift the trophy.

In 1972 Billie Jean King was the third seed. Facing Evonne Goolagong in the singles final the American overwhelmed the top seed to take the singles title in straight sets breaking the Australian in both sets. In the doubles King was teamed up with Betty Stöve and were the top seeds. Unseeded Brits Winnie Shaw & Nell Truman were their surprise opponents.

The unseeded Brits had taken out the second seeds in the second round. This was only their second match up against seeded opponents in the tournament. Unfortunately for the Brits, the top seeds were in total control and dominated the match. King & Stöve lost three games in the final to complete the double for the American.

Should she manage the feat in 2021, Barbora Krejčíková will join this list of exclusive women to have completed the double in the same year in Paris during the Open Era.

Main Photo from Getty.

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