Krejcikova Reclaims Rhythm in United Cup Opener
Barbora Krejcikova navigates a sluggish start and lingering knee doubts to dispatch Malene Helgo 6-4, 6-3, handing Czechia a 1-0 lead in Sydney’s Group D with tactical poise.
In the sun-baked intensity of Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena, Barbora Krejcikova launched her 2026 campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Malene Helgo, securing Czechia an early 1-0 advantage in United Cup Group D. The two-time Grand Slam singles champion, ranked No. 65 after a 2025 plagued by back and knee injuries, arrived with a supportive sleeve on her left knee, her movement tested from the first ball. What began as a tentative affair against the World No. 532 Norwegian evolved into a display of calculated depth, Krejcikova winning eight of nine games from the first set’s midpoint to close out the 1 hour, 38-minute match.
Krejcikova’s path to this debut traced a rugged line: sidelined until May last year, she pushed to the US Open quarterfinals in September before a knee flare-up forced retirements in Beijing against McCartney Kessler and in Limoges. Helgo, the 26-year-old from Oslo, entered with pedigree, having dragged Caroline Garcia and Donna Vekic to three sets in the 2024 United Cup. On Sydney’s outdoor hard courts, the underdog seized a 3-1 lead with flat crosscourt forehands that exploited Krejcikova’s initial hesitancy.
“I didn’t play for a long period, and the injury that I had was really tough and very unfortunate,” Krejcikova said afterwards. “I’m really happy that I’m here, that I can play, that I can enjoy, that I can compete, and I’m really happy that I can finally finish a match.”
Turning deuce into dominance
The pivot arrived in the first set’s fifth game, a five-deuce battle where Krejcikova erased a break point with a heavy topspin forehand down-the-line, her knee bending fluidly under pressure. She broke Helgo right after, then unleashed a 1–2 pattern: wide serves to the deuce side followed by inside-out backhands that stretched the court wide. The Czech’s topspin loops absorbed Helgo’s pace, forcing defensive lobs that Krejcikova punished with sharp inside-in returns, the crowd’s murmurs building as the set swung 6-4.
Helgo’s early aggression faded against this shift; her flat groundstrokes, effective on the bouncy surface, now sailed long when pinned deep. Krejcikova mixed in slice approaches to disrupt rhythm, approaching the net twice for volleys that sealed points cleanly. By set’s end, the Norwegian’s confidence cracked, her errors mounting from overhasty crosscourts.
Knee steady, resolve sharpens
The second set tested Krejcikova’s physical edge, Helgo pressing at 2-2 with quick inside-in forehands that clipped the baseline. But a favorable net cord on an approach volley handed the Czech the break, and she consolidated with aces slicing out wide, her serve finding corners untouched. Movement sharpened as the match progressed, Krejcikova’s knee improving under the strain, allowing her to cover sideline stretchers without wince.
“The knee is better. It took some time, but it’s improving every day and I’m very happy with that,” she added post-match. This win, blending national stakes with personal redemption, eases Czechia into the tie; check the latest United Cup: Scores and United Cup: Standings for Group D updates. World No. 19 Jakub Mensik now faces Casper Ruud, his rookie energy poised to extend the lead before mixed doubles unfolds.
Krejcikova’s adjustments—deeper baselines to counter flat shots, varied spin to unsettle—signal a player rebuilding not just body, but belief. In the United Cup’s team cauldron, her stride hints at a 2026 resurgence, the WTA Tour’s opening act alive with possibility as Sydney’s hard courts demand more.
