WATCH: Barbora Krejcikova takes a long pause, reluctantly responds to facing Elena Rybakina in Wimbledon SF months after contentious 'Big-3' remark

Barbora Krejcikova was ecstatic as she reached her maiden semifinal at the 2024 Wimbledon Championship. When asked about facing Elena Rybakina in the upcoming match, the Czech had an amusing response.

Krejcikova, who is barely seeded at SW19 this year (31), beat 13th seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, July 10. In her previous matches, she dismissed Danielle Collins, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Katie Volynets, and Veronika Kudermetova.

Barbora Krejcikova indicated that she was speechless, having beaten a fellow former French Open champion, Ostapenko, to reach the final four.

"I don’t have any words right now," she said during her on-court interview.

The former World No. 2 has struggled with her form this season, more so because of a back injury, which was followed by a severe flu.

"It’s a great moment for me. It’s an unbelievable moment that I’m experiencing right now in my tennis career," she said.

During the on-court interview, Barbora Krejcikova was made aware of her next opponent, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, to which she nonchalantly responded with “okay” while shrugging her shoulders.

"It’s great, it’s great," she added.

Interviewer Rishi Persad then asked Krejcikova to share her thoughts on facing “such a fantastic champion” in Rybakina. After asking Persad to repeat the question, the Czech took a long pause.

"...Well, I don’t know, we’ll see in the semifinals," she said, seemingly reluctantly.

"I’ve never experienced anything like this, so I will see and I can tell you after the semifinals how does it feel," the two-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion said, smiling.

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It is worth noting that in 2023, Barbora Krejcikova admitted to feeling slighted amid growing talks about the women’s “Big 3,” which included Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. The former World No. 2, who had beaten Swiatek in the final of the WTA 1000 event in Dubai that year, said:

"When I read something on social media, it's about Iga, Aryna, and Elena -- I'm not really there. What else should I do? How should I prove it again? This week, again I'm here and I'm going to prove it again so that I get into this Top 3," Barbora Krejcikova told the WTA at the 2023 Miami Open.

"I want to be mentioned as well. I want to be recognized as well because I think I deserve it," she added. "I've had a lot of success on the tour and I just don't get the credit."

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Barbora Krejcikova has a perfect record against Elena Rybakina ahead of their Wimbledon 2024 clash

Elena Rybakina pictured at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships (Image Source: Getty)

Elena Rybakina has never managed to beat Barbora Krejcikova on the tour before. The latter won both their previous encounters by narrow margins at the 2022 Ostrava Open [3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4] and the 2021 Melbourne 500 Grampians Trophy [4-6, 6-2, (10-6)].

Krejcikova would thus hope to replicate her success on Thursday as she bids for her first Grand Slam final since the 2021 French Open. Rybakina, meanwhile, would look to capitalize on her experience at Wimbledon as a former champion.

The World No. 4 has booked her place in the final four with victories over Elina Svitolina, Anna Kalinskaya, Caroline Wozniacki, Laura Siegemund, and Elena-Gabriela Ruse.