LONDON — Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova continued her impressive title defense at Wimbledon on Wednesday, securing a hard-fought victory in the second round as top seeds defied the recent trend of early exits on day four of the Championships.
The Czech star, seeded 31st this year after a season marred by injuries, battled past Germany's Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-2 in a match that showcased her trademark versatility. Krejcikova's win came as several other high-profile players including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina also advanced, bucking the tournament's early pattern of seeded casualties.
Krejcikova Finds Her Grass-Court Groove
After struggling with form and fitness for much of 2024, Krejcikova appears to be rediscovering her best tennis at the perfect moment. "I'm just happy to be back here and playing good tennis," the 2021 French Open champion said after her win. "Every match I play, I feel like I'm getting better on grass."
The 28-year-old's performance was particularly impressive considering:
- She entered Wimbledon with just four grass-court matches this season
- Her ranking had slipped to No. 32 after missing three months with a wrist injury
- She hadn't won back-to-back matches since February before this tournament
Top Seeds Weather Early Tournament Storm
While the first three days saw 13 seeded women eliminated, day four brought more conventional results at the All England Club:
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek overcame a slow start to defeat Croatia's Petra Martic 6-4, 6-3, extending her winning streak to 21 matches. "It wasn't easy adapting to the grass after Roland Garros," Swiatek admitted. "But I'm learning with every match and today I felt more comfortable."
2022 champion Elena Rybakina also progressed, though not without drama. The Kazakh star saved three set points in the first set before defeating Japan's Nao Hibino 6-3, 7-6(5). "The tiebreak was tough mentally," Rybakina said. "But I'm happy I stayed focused in the important moments."
Other Notable Results
Other seeds advancing included:
- No. 5 Jessica Pegula (d. Wang Xinyu 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1)
- No. 11 Danielle Collins (d. Dalma Galfi 6-3, 6-4)
- No. 13 Jelena Ostapenko (d. Daria Snigur 6-3, 6-0)
Krejcikova's Road Ahead
The defending champion now faces a tricky third-round encounter against either former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki or American rising star Emma Navarro. "Whoever it is will be tough," Krejcikova said. "But I'm ready for the challenge."
Krejcikova's coach, former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna (who passed away in 2017), remains a constant inspiration. "I think about her every time I walk onto these courts," Krejcikova revealed. "She taught me so much about how to play on grass."
Changing Fortunes on Grass
The day's results marked a significant shift from the tournament's opening rounds, which saw:
- No. 2 seed Coco Gauff lose in the first round
- No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka withdraw before her first match due to injury
- Seven other top-20 seeds fall before the third round
Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker noted: "The grass court season is so short these days that we often see unpredictable results early. But the best players usually find their way as the tournament progresses."
As the Championships move into the middle weekend, Krejcikova and the remaining top seeds will look to continue bucking the early upset trend. With the draw opening up after so many early exits, the defending champion's path to another deep run appears increasingly plausible.
Krejcikova summed up the mentality needed: "In Grand Slams, you have to take it match by match. I'm not thinking about defending anything - just playing my best tennis each time I step on court."