Challenges for Czechs as Wimbledon draws near

Enjoy her while you can. Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is set to play her last Wimbledon, and retire at this year's US Open. https://t.co/FSqDNOPoyk pic.twitter.com/yovBZXUeGk

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) June 19, 2025

Last year, Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon. However, in November, she sustained a back injury that kept her off the tour for six months. She returned in May, and--as she was headed for the quarterfinals in Eastbourne earlier this month--she sustained a left hip injury and withdrew from the tournament. It sounds like this was a precautionary move, but--between the long break and the new injury--it isn't exactly a good time for Krejickova to compete in London.

Her countrywoman, the piece of dynamic art known as Karolina Muchova, has never won Wimbledon, but I certainly believe that she could. But Muchova's career has been wrecked, again and again, by a chronic wrist injury. The Czech player's temporary solution to that problem is her conversion to a one-handed backhand (which certainly suits her elegant game), but she hasn't had a lot of experience hitting her backhand with one hand, and--well, Wimbledon is almost here.

The other chronically injured Czech is Marketa Vondrousova (she's had two wrist surgeries), who won Wimbledon in 2023, and was the first unseeded woman to do so in history. Things look good for Vondrousova, however; she recently won Berlin, defeating the likes of Madison Keys, Diana Shnaider, Ons Jabeur, top seed and world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, and Wang Xinyu. We can only hope that she stays healthy for the next couple of weeks.

It doesn't feel right to have this conversation without mentioning two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who intended to retire after she had her baby, but has come back (with a wild card) for one more year. I don't think that anyone expects Kvitova to be in the conversation for Wimbledon, but it would be nice to see her do well there. One way or the other, just having her there is special.

Other grass court winners this season include Elise Mertens ('S-Hertogenbosch--her first grass title), Tatjana Maria (in an absolutely stunning run at Queen's Club), McCartney Kessler (Nottingham), Jessica Pegula (Bad Homburg), and Maya Joint (Eastbourne). Berlin, Queen's Club and Bad Homburg are all WTA 500 tournaments. 

Notable during Wimbledon qualifying was Canadian player Carson Branstine, who defeated both French Open breakout star Lois Boisson and Bianca Andreescu. But the tennis gods never tire of performing their tricks. Branstine's first round opponent?--world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka,

Other first round matches of interest:

Marketa Vondrousova v. McCarney Kessler (32)--The former champion (and now the Berlin champion) will face the Nottingham champion.

Katerina Siniakova v. Zheng Qinwen (5)--Zheng is the clear favorite, but Siniakova, an elite doubles player, knows her way around a grass court--and she's Czech.

Barbora Krejcikova (17) v. Alexandra Eala--The Eastbourne runner-up probably isn't the player Krejickova wants to face in the first round (I doubt that anyone wants to face her in the first round.)

Petra Kvitova (wc) v. Emma Navarro (10)--This isn't an easy first round draw for Kvitova; it should be interesting to watch.

Karolina Muchova (15) v. Wang Xinyu--Wang's grass breakout occurred in Berlin, where she defeated Daria Kasatkina, 2nd seed Coco Gauff, Paula Badosa (via retirement), and Liudmila Samsonova. She was stopped by Vondrousova in the final, but it was quite a run, and Wang exhibited a number of impressive moves and shots. She'll have her work cut out for her with Muchova, the current queen of impressive moves and shots.