New Delhi, July 2 -- LONDON - The moment arrived seven times before it was final. Mirra Andreeva cancelled six of them, each time erasing a match point with a combination of sheer athleticism and Krejcikova's fraying nerves. For a stretch late in the third set on Centre Court, the scoreboard seemed to have its own opinion about how this match would end. Then Andreeva's backhand slice hit the net cord, rose, and sailed long. The match was over.

Krejcikova, the 2024 Wimbledon champion, dropped to her knees. In the stands, a portion of the audience that had spent the afternoon tracking England's World Cup progress on their phones turned to cheer something unfolding directly in front of them. The 30-year-old Czech, ranked No. 38 and working ...