Czech tennis player Barbora Krejcikova kept her Wimbledon title defence on track with a hard-fought three-set victory over American Caroline Dolehide on Thursday, advancing to the third round with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win.
The Czech 17th seed, who triumphed at the All England Club last year, needed nearly two hours to overcome the world number 67 in a match filled with momentum swings and tense rallies.
“It’s a massive relief,” said Krejcikova after the match. “It was a real battle—so many points could have gone either way. I wasn’t feeling great out there, but I gave everything for every ball. I’m thrilled to have pulled through in the third set.”
Krejcikova had already survived a scare in the first round, coming from behind to defeat rising Filipina talent Alexandra Eala. The two-time Grand Slam champion is showing signs of resilience as she navigates a challenging return to the tour.
The 29-year-old missed much of the season due to a back injury and only returned to competition in May. Her limited match fitness showed at Roland Garros, where she exited in the second round, and she withdrew from Eastbourne last week with a thigh issue, having played just eight matches in 2025 before arriving at SW19.
Despite the setbacks, Krejcikova is savouring every moment at Wimbledon.
“This tournament means so much to me,” she said. “The last six to eight months have been incredibly tough. Just being back here, feeling healthy, and competing again—I’m grateful for that.”
The defending champion fell behind early in the first set, losing her serve in the fourth game, but responded with a run of four consecutive games to take the opener. However, her rhythm faltered in the second set as Dolehide capitalised on a break in the sixth game to level the contest.
In the decider, Krejcikova regained her composure, securing a crucial break at 4-2 and holding her nerve to serve out the match, much to the delight of the Centre Court crowd.
