Champion Krejcikova begins title defence with win

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova avoided a first-round upset with a hard-fought victory over promising youngster Alexandra Eala.

The Czech had been an injury doubt coming into the tournament but showed her experience to begin her title defence with a 3-6 6-2 6-1 win on Centre Court.

Krejcikova beat Italian Jasmine Paolini in last year’s final to lift the trophy but has been hampered by injury problems this year.

She endured a lengthy lay-off with a back injury, then had to pull out of Eastbourne last week because of a thigh injury.

Seventeenth seed Krejcikova’s preparations for the tournament were not dissimilar last year, when she arrived at the All England Club having played just nine matches and struggling with injury.

Returning to the site of her emotional triumph by opening Tuesday’s play on Centre Court, Krejcikova looked somewhat out of sorts in the opening set against an in-form opponent.

Eala memorably stunned Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open in March, then made more history by becoming the first Filipina to reach the final of a WTA Tour event at Eastbourne last week, where she lost to Australian teenager Maya Joint.

That has catapulted her to 56th in the rankings, and all of that talent was on display on day two at the Championships.

The pair traded breaks early on as Krejcikova’s exquisite lob to take Eala’s serve was cancelled out by a double fault to put the match back on serve.

Mistakes from the reigning champion and an impressive range of shots from Eala secured a second break, and this time Krejcikova could not convert her break-back opportunity, missing the forehand on break point.

She seemed to be struggling on serve, uncomfortable with her ball toss and hit five double faults in the first set – perhaps an indication she is still battling that back injury.

After a lengthy game at 5-2 where Krejcikova saved a set point, Eala held her nerve to brilliantly serve out the set.

Krejcikova came back in the second set and, while she still looked uncomfortable on serve – frequently redoing her ball toss – she motored to a 5-0 lead.

Looking somewhat disappointed and desperate to avoid a second-set bagel, Eala rallied to hold her serve, then overturned one of the breaks, but could not prevent Krejcikova levelling the match.

A more comfortable third set followed as Krejcikova tidied up the errors and finally showed her emotion as she put herself on the brink of victory by securing the double break for 5-1, letting out a roar after her passing winner.