Barbora Krejcikova needed a comeback to avoid becoming the second consecutive Wimbledon women’s champion to lose in the first round a year later at the All England Club, eventually eliminating 56th-ranked Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 at Centre Court on Tuesday.
From the start of the Open era in 1968 through 2023, only one reigning women’s champ was defeated in the first round at Wimbledon: Steffi Graf in 1994.
