Tenth-seeded Czech tennis star Karolina Muchova eliminated her friend and the reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday, claiming a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 victory in an intense all-Czech showdown that earned her a spot in the quarter-finals.
Muchova, who is 29 years old, relied on a versatile and athletic style of play — featuring well-placed volleys, crafty drop shots, and sharp cross-court winners — to get past Krejcikova, who at 30 is just eight months her senior and currently sits at 38th in the world rankings. The match was played in warm, sunny conditions on Court Two.
Muchova turned up the pressure in the 12th game of the opening set, going after Krejcikova’s serve and closing out the set with a blistering cross-court backhand return. By the end of the match, Muchova had racked up an impressive 50 winners compared to just 24 for Krejcikova.
In the second set, Muchova ground down her fellow Czech in a marathon sixth game that lasted 16 minutes, finally converting on her fourth break point opportunity.
However, Krejcikova — who also holds the 2021 French Open title — refused to go quietly, rallying to win five straight games and force a deciding third set.
Muchova regrouped and secured a crucial break in the fourth game of the final set as Krejcikova, whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries, appeared to run low on energy in the heat. Muchova closed out the match with a lobbed forehand winner and then embraced her opponent warmly at the net.
