Barbora Krejcikova is living her best life in Fort Worth

FORT WORTH, Texas—The Lone Star state has found a fan in the WTA Finals’ top doubles seed Barbora Krejcikova, who has soaked up all Fort Worth has to offer in her first trip to Texas.

“So far, I really like it,” she told Dickies Arena after she and partner Katerina Siniakova won their first match over Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs. “I had some Texas barbecue, which was really nice. I love food, so I tried all the meats and it was a really good experience! I went to see the line dancing, as well, which I really like with the boots and hat. Everything like that.

“So, for me, so far, I really like this place!”

Krejcikova is notoriously tough to impress, taking to Fort Worth far better than, say, Flushing Meadows.

“I do really like New York, but on the other hand, I really don’t like the smell that is everywhere, and the traffic,” she told me back in 2019. (No hard feelings there.)

And by the way: Krejcikova wasn’t kidding about the line dancing; she picked up a few steps of her own and demonstrated them, first for a video that went viral on social media, then for the crowd after she and Siniakova clinched their spot in the semifinals.

“I actually saw it live,” Siniakova said of her partner’s fancy footwork. “I was there, so I think it was pretty good—especially because she did it without music. I mean, come on!”

Krejcikova has also been a fixture around the WTA Finals, regardless of whether she has a match scheduled.

For all that has been made of the Dickies Arena crowd—or sometimes lack thereof—the 2021 Roland Garros champion has been at most of the matches, getting a literal front-row seat for all the action.

Perhaps the former singles No. 2 is drawing inspiration for her own singles return after missing out on a second singles berth this fall.

While we don’t exactly know where the WTA Finals will land in 2023, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Krejcikova back in Texas leading a line dance sometime soon.