Robin Montgomery scripted a dream run at the WTA 250 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, battling through qualifying rounds and dropping just one set all tournament against Daria Kasatkina in the R32. Three commanding straight-set victories then propelled the former US junior’s champion into a blockbuster final against a former Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova. Yet, in a bittersweet twist, Montgomery lastly lifted the Libema Open trophy after the Czech star’s unfortunate last-minute withdrawal.

“I’m sorry to announce that I have to withdraw from today’s Libema Open final due to illness,” Krejcikova said in the statement released by the tournament after withdrawing from the final due to injury. “I have been feeling unwell and after consulting with the medical team it has become clear that I am not in a condition to compete today.”

The 2024 SW19 champion admitted that missing the final was a difficult decision to make. “I was really looking forward to the opportunity to play in the final and compete for a title, but today it’s not possible,” she later added. 

However, despite her disappointment, the 30-year-old still took time to acknowledge her opponent’s remarkable week. “I would also like to congratulate Robin for a great week here and wish her the very best for the rest of the season. I am disappointed to end my tournament in this way, but I will focus on recovering as quickly as possible and look forward to returning to competition soon.”

As a result of the withdrawal, the 21-year-old American secured the Libema Open title which marked the first WTA singles crown of her career.

The American had reached a career-high ranking of No. 95 on the WTA ranking around this time last year. However, an injury sidelined her from June 2025 until April 2026, disrupting her progress significantly during the ten months.

The Libema Open was only Montgomery’s 3rd WTA Tour-level appearance of the season. She had suffered 1st-round exits in both Bogota and Madrid Open before arriving in the Netherlands.

Currently ranked No. 484 in the world, the American ace became the lowest-ranked player to capture a WTA Tour title since Elina Svitolina, who was ranked No. 508 when she won Strasbourg 3 years ago.

Her victory also made her the 3rd qualifier to win a WTA title in the 2026 season. Elisabetta Cocciaretto in Hobart and Sara Bejlek in Abu Dhabi had previously achieved the same feat.

And while Montgomery celebrated a breakthrough moment in her young career, Krejcikova was left dealing with another frustrating setback. Injury and fitness concerns have repeatedly interrupted the Czech’s momentum, and this latest withdrawal once again highlighted the challenges she has faced in recent times.

Barbora Krejcikova’s injury woes continue since her Wimbledon triumph

This latest setback for the 2-time Grand Slam champion comes as another bitter setback as the Czech star has been dealing with a series of physical issues since lifting the 2024 Wimbledon trophy.

Krejcikova missed a major portion of the 2025 season because of back and knee injuries. As a result, she was able to compete in only 9 tournaments last year. Her struggles did not end there either. Earlier in 2026, the 30-year-old suffered another injury setback in February.

The issue forced her to spend almost 3 months away from the tour. It disrupted her comeback plans and once again raised concerns over her fitness heading into the crucial part of the season.

On the other hand, the American Robin Montgomery has produced one of the most remarkable stories of the season by capturing the Libema Open title.

The triumph is expected to earn Montgomery 268 valuable WTA ranking points which will help her climb an astonishing 291 places to world No. 193 when the new rankings come.

And as the grass-court season now shifts focus toward Wimbledon, it will be interesting to see how Krejcikova manages her recovery and pushes to play at the All-England Club this year.