“I feel like I deserve recognition from the media”

Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday, March 26, 2023

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk about three players – Iga Swiatek, Arina Sobolenko and Elena Rybakina – becoming the three pillars of dominance on the WTA Tour.

This week in Miami, Barbora Kreychikova, who will face Sabalenko in the 1/8 finals, says don’t forget about me!

“It’s a big motivation,” Kreychikova told reporters, according to WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen. “I don’t want to be forgotten somewhere in the shadow of these three big players. They play well and play great, but I feel like I play well too.

“I feel like I deserve recognition from the media, but I don’t get it. I think I just need to win more matches and prove to everyone that I’m there too.”

Kreichikov certainly deserves attention in 2023. She became the fifth player in WTA history to beat a reigning top three in the same tournament, including her second consecutive victory over Iga Swiatek in the final. She also inflicted Sobolenko’s first defeat this year.

Kreychikova – I’m not a robot.

Two weeks ago at Indian Wells, Krejcikova spoke about the struggles she faced in 2022 as she battled an elbow injury and had a difficult few months on tour after her return.

She said there were times when the media got into her head.

“I always felt that I had a level, but there was actually a lot of doubt from the media, both at home and internationally, I think. I think at the end of the year and at the beginning of this year I proved that I belong here,” she said.

She said that negative conversations tend to motivate her.

“It depends on how you feel about it. There will always be something negative about you. It’s just a matter of how to approach it, and sometimes it’s difficult for me. I’m not always positive, I’m not a robot. I always try to look at it as a motivator. “Okay, you think I can’t do this, but I’m going to show you what I can,” but it definitely takes a lot of mental strength.

Yoke inspires

While she wants to be part of the conversation with Swiatek and other top players, that hasn’t stopped Krejcikova from seeing the Pole as a leader and inspiration.

“She motivates me a lot and every time I have the opportunity to train with her, or watch her train, or watch her matches, or see what she does – she is just amazing, what she was capable of last year, and so far she has a huge level and she is ahead of all of us,” she said. “So for me she is a big source of inspiration, especially she is so young. When I was so young, I had no idea what I was doing. I feel like she knows and she goes for it and she is very dedicated. She is very demanding of herself and really wants to be the best.”