In a thrilling comeback on Saturday, American tennis player Emma Navarro ousted defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in a dramatic third-round match. Navarro, one of the four top-10 seeds remaining in the women’s draw, overcame a first-set deficit to triumph 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on No. 1 Court.
The match took a pivotal turn in the third set when Krejcikova, visibly struggling, had her blood pressure checked during a changeover after Navarro broke her serve to lead 3-2. Despite taking a medical timeout to consume a banana and hydrate, Krejcikova’s distress was evident as she frequently leaned over with her hands on her knees between points.
Navarro’s Strategic Play and Resilience
Emma Navarro, who hails from New York and grew up in South Carolina, displayed remarkable resilience and strategic play. “Part of you is telling yourself, ‘Just put a bunch of balls in the court, and that’s all you have to do.’ But then, she’s an amazing player, injuries or no injuries. So that’s not good enough,” Navarro explained, reflecting on her mindset during the match.
Navarro’s ability to adapt was crucial. After losing the first set and trailing in the second, she improved her serve and executed stronger groundstrokes. “I like to play scrappy, so I was able to play a few more scrappy points, get a few more balls back in the court,” she added.
A History of Upsets
This victory is not Navarro’s first major upset on the grand stage. Last year, she defeated Coco Gauff at Wimbledon, advancing to her first major quarterfinal. She later repeated her success against Gauff at the US Open, where she reached the semifinals.
With this latest win, Navarro, now 24, secures her fifth round-of-16 appearance in the past six majors, a record she shares with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. Her next opponent will be 18-year-old Russian, Mirra Andreeva, with a quarterfinal spot at stake.
The Broader Tournament Landscape
Krejcikova’s loss leaves Iga Swiatek as the only major champion in the bottom half of the draw, after Swiatek’s straight-sets victory over unseeded American Danielle Collins. The competition remains fierce as the women’s title at Wimbledon is set to crown the ninth different champion in as many years, marking the longest streak in the tournament’s history.
Serena Williams was the last repeat champion in 2016, followed by Garbine Muguruza in 2017, Angelique Kerber in 2018, Simona Halep in 2019, and Ash Barty in 2021. Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova won in 2022 and 2023, respectively, with Krejcikova’s 2020 victory omitted due to the pandemic cancellation.
Meanwhile, Krejcikova’s early exit will see her ranking drop out of the top 70, a significant fall for the former French Open champion who was seeded 17th at this year’s Wimbledon.
Looking Ahead
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Navarro as she faces Andreeva in the upcoming round. The match promises to be a test of skill and endurance, with Navarro aiming to continue her impressive run.
With the unpredictability of this year’s tournament, the race for the Wimbledon title remains wide open, offering a platform for emerging talents like Navarro to shine on the world stage.
