Barbora Krejcikova picks up injury scare ahead of Wimbledon title defence

Barbora Krejcikova is an injury doubt ahead of her Wimbledon title defence after withdrawing from the Eastbourne Open due to a thigh problem.

The world number 17, who defeated Jasmine Paolini in the women’s singles final at SW19 last year, was due to face France’s Varvara Gracheva in the quarter-finals at Devonshire Park.

Czech player Krejcikova initially felt the issue on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage.

The injury worsened overnight and, with her opening match at Wimbledon scheduled for Tuesday, the 29-year-old is awaiting the outcome of a scan.

“I’m very sorry to have to withdraw from my quarter-final today in Eastbourne as I’m having some soreness in my right thigh,” said Krejcikova.

“Overnight it just didn’t get any better; it actually got worse. I think it’s better with Wimbledon in the next couple of days just to rest it and to see what’s going on and to resolve that.”

Krejcikova played two gruelling, three-set singles matches on the south coast.

Having saved two match points en route to defeating British number four Harriet Dart in two hours and 40 minutes in round one, the second seed saved three more in her tie-break triumph over Burrage, which lasted two hours and 24 minutes.

British singles interest in the tournament ended with quarter-final defeats for Billy Harris and Dan Evans in the men’s draw.

Harris was beaten 7-6 (4) 6-1 by French world number 20 Ugo Humbert.

Evans, who registered a standout second-round win over world number 13 Tommy Paul on Wednesday, later lost 6-2 6-3 to American lucky loser Jenson Brooksby, who will take on Humbert in the last four.

“It was really difficult conditions; Jenson played a good match, he was probably better than me today,” said Evans.

“It was a very quick turnaround. It was not easy but that’s tennis, you have to recover and get back out there.

“I’m not sure what time he finished yesterday but I think it was a lot earlier than me and it just felt all very quick today.”

Defending men’s champion Taylor Fritz – the American world number five and a three-time Eastbourne winner – overcame compatriot Marcos Giron 7-5 4-6 7-5 in Thursday’s final match.

The top seed will face sixth-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who beat 19-year-old world number 17 Jakub Mensik 6-4 7-5, in the last four.

Australian 19-year-old Maya Joint backed up her second-round victory over British number one Emma Raducanu by reaching the semi-finals with a 6-4 7-5 success over Russian Anna Blinkova.

Former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova awaits Joint after she beat fellow Russian Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 2-6 6-0, while 20-year-old Filipino Alexandra Eala will take on Gracheva in the other semi-final following her 6-1 6-2 win over Dayana Yastremska.