Wimbledon has delivered a shock this year that no one saw coming! Last year’s champion, Barbora Krejčíková, was knocked out in the third round by the 10th seed American Emma Navarro, with a scoreline of 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Krejčíková took the first set and even had a break in the second, but health issues clearly took their toll. During the match, her blood pressure and blood sugar levels were measured, and it showed. In the decisive set, at 5-3, the Czech player broke down in tears on court, overwhelmed by the struggle. The crowd immediately rallied behind her with loud applause.
This loss will be catastrophic for her WTA ranking – currently 16th in the world, she is expected to plummet to around 77th because she won’t be able to defend the points she earned last year. Krejčíková has won eight career titles, with her highest ranking being world No. 2. She has earned around 14 million euros in prize money, but this Wimbledon heartbreak will sting for a long time.
Her conqueror, Emma Navarro, now advances to the round of 16, where she will face 18-year-old Mira Andrejeva, who convincingly defeated Hailey Baptiste 6-1, 6-3. Navarro has shown she’s no fluke as the 10th seed and is a serious contender on the grass courts.
Meanwhile, other big battles are unfolding at Wimbledon. Grigor Dimitrov reached the round of 16 after beating Sebastian Ofner, and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek cruised through her match. Serbian star Novak Djokovic also advanced impressively, defeating Miomir Kecmanović, and Marin Čilić beat Spaniard Munar to continue his campaign at the All England Club.
But back to the tears and drama – is this a sign of big changes at Wimbledon? Will Krejčíková bounce back to the top, or is this the beginning of the end of her reign? As the tennis elite fight for every point, we’re here watching and commenting – who’s next to crack under pressure? And you, what do you think about these tears on the court? Is sport too harsh, or is this just part of the game? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s the real fan and who’s just watching from the sidelines!
