Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova crashed out of Wimbledon on Saturday after a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to American 10th seed Emma Navarro in a match overshadowed by injury and emotion.
Krejcikova started strong, taking the first set comfortably. However, she struggled physically in the latter stages, visibly in pain and eventually requiring a medical timeout in the final set. Despite breaking serve twice, she couldn’t maintain momentum as Navarro capitalised on her discomfort to seal victory on Court One.
“It was really tough today. I know she was dealing with some injuries,” Navarro said. “She’s an amazing player, with or without them.”
Krejcikova came into the tournament with limited match play after a season plagued by injuries. The 29-year-old had just six matches under her belt in 2025 and recently withdrew from Eastbourne with a thigh problem.
Her exit adds to a string of upsets in the women’s draw, with five of the top six seeds already eliminated. Navarro now moves into the fourth round, while Krejcikova’s tearful departure marked a disappointing end to her title defence.