LONDON — Defending champion Barbora Krejčíková left Wimbledon in tears after suffering a three-set loss to Emma Navarro, while Novak Djokovic celebrated his 100th win at the All England Club with a strong performance on Saturday.
Jannik Sinner, the men's number one seed, defeated Pedro Martinez convincingly to advance into the round of 16. However, attention quickly shifted to the differing outcomes for Krejcikova and Djokovic during their matches.
Krejcikova seemed to be battling an injury during her emotional match against Anisimova on Court One, breaking down in tears toward the end of their three-set encounter.
After five of the top six seeds were eliminated, Navarro capitalized on the opportunity to create another surprise result in the women's event.
Krejcikova was pushed to her limits as she came from behind after losing the opening set against emerging player Alexandra Eala in the first round, followed by another hard-fought victory in three sets over Caroline Dolehide in the next round.
This time around, Krejcikova wouldn’t manage a dramatic comeback, as the 17th-seeded player struggled with ongoing physical issues that ultimately held her back in her match against America’s 10th-seed Navarro.
Since her victory over Italy's Jasmine Paolini in last year's Wimbledon final, Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam winner, has faced a challenging period.
She remained sidelined until May due to a back injury and was defeated in the second round of the French Open.
Krejcikova withdrew from the Eastbourne Open prior to the quarter-final stage due to an issue with her thigh.
I was certainly having a good time and felt pretty energetic at first," Krejčíková shared. "But then unexpectedly, without warning, I completely ran out of steam and struggled to get it back.
I really felt myself getting more down over time. It's heartbreaking and quite unlucky for me.
Djokovic marked his historic milestone by overpowering his fellow Serbian Davis Cup player, Miomir Kecmanović, with scores of 6–3, 6–0, and 6–4, all within an hour and 47 minutes at Centre Court.
At 38 years old, the Serbian player has achieved exactly one hundred match wins at the prestigious Wimbledon Championships - an impressive feat bettered solely by tennis legends Roger Federer with his record of 105 triumphs and Martina Navratilova whose remarkable career saw her secure victory in a staggering 120 matches at this iconic venue.
"It's really significant. It feels amazing," said Djokovic, expressing his gratitude for being in such an opportunity. He also mentioned convincing his daughter to join him courtside as he performed his signature 'pump it up' move after the match.
Wimbledon is a cherished event and an aspiration for countless athletes. To create any legacy at my preferred championship feels like a true blessing.
This marks his 17th trip to the fourth round out of 20 times competing at Wimbledon. He’ll now go up against Australia’s 11th-seeded player, Alex de Minaur, who secured his spot after defeating Denmark’s August Holmgren in a three-set match.
Djokovic aims for an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title as he tries to surpass the legendary Margaret Court, currently tied at six titles apiece.
Thiem, who might come up against Djokovic in the semifinals, delivered an impressive performance on Centre Court, defeating world number 52 Martinez with scores of 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in a dominating display lasting only one hour and fifty-five minutes.