Two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova just cannot catch a break. Her quest to get match practice ahead of the Australian Open ended in tears, leaving questions around her participation at Melbourne Park for the second successive season.

On Tuesday, Krejcikova lined up against Stearns. The American came out firing, taking the first set 6-4. Krejcikova’s movement looked labored. Her left knee, heavily strapped, wasn’t holding up well. At the changeover, she called for a medical timeout. Cameras showed her wiping tears from her eyes as the medical team worked on the already-bandaged knee.

The pain was visible. The frustration, even more so. For a moment, it seemed she wouldn’t be able to continue. But then something shifted. Barbora Krejcikova returned to court. She played freely, aggressively, almost defiantly, and snatched away the second set from the American (6-1). Then, the third set unfolded dramatically. Peyton Stearns served for the match twice. However, Krejcikova clawed back, gritting through the pain, forcing the crowd to rise to their feet.

Stearns regrouped in the deciding tie-break, finally converting her third match point to clinch a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) victory after 2.5 hours, her first three-set win since her thrilling run in Rome. She’ll now face Olga Danilovic in the next round. For the world number 55, Krejcikova, this was more than a loss. It was a battle against her own body, one she came heartbreakingly close to winning.

Even the 2025 season didn’t quite go according to plan for Barbora Krejcikova. The year 2025 was supposed to be a chance to carry forward the momentum after witnessing a historic 2024 season where she won the Wimbledon Championships. Instead, it unfolded like a relentless test of endurance. A persistent back injury struck early and forced her to miss the first four months of the season.

Krejcikova’s fitness issues disrupted her 2025 run

Krejcikova wanted to start fresh in 2025. However, at the very start of the season, the Czech player withdrew from the Australian Open due to a back injury. The injury kept her out of action until May when she made her season debut at the Strasbourg Open. However, she lost to Magda Linette in the first round.

Despite her long layoff, she fought her way to the QF of the US Open – a stunning achievement given the circumstances. It looked like the comeback was finally underway. But the relief didn’t last long.

As the WTA Tour shifted to Asia, Krejcikova headed to Beijing with hope. That hope was shattered in her match against McCartney Kessler, when she suddenly grabbed her knee and called for a medical timeout. Moments later, the news circulated: she had suffered a knee injury and was forced to retire.

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Scans revealed that the injury was far worse than initially feared. Many assumed her 2025 season was over. She even penned a heartfelt note on social media. “Moments like these are never easy… I was excited for this Asian tour and was looking forward to every moment on and off the court. Unfortunately, I had to cut it short earlier than expected due to an injury…”

However, in December, Barbora Krejcikova stunned everyone by entering her name in the final WTA 125 tournament of the year, the Open de Limoges. But even there, she was forced to retire due to a recurrence of her knee injury just seven points into the deciding set of her first-round match against Anastasija Sevastova. Krejcikova wrapped up the season playing just around 9 tournaments, and with a win-loss record of 16-10.

Her 2026 season started with a spark of optimism at the United Cup. During that event, she shared her thoughts on how her 2025 season went.

“I didn’t play for a long period, and the injury that I had was really tough and very unfortunate. I’m really happy that I’m here, that I can play, that I can enjoy it, that I can compete, and I’m really happy that I can finally finish a match. The knee is better. It took some time, but it’s improving every day, and I’m very happy with that.”

But now, with the recent developments in Hobart, her fans are wondering if the familiar physical struggle may be returning at the very moment she felt ready to reclaim her momentum. It’ll be interesting to see how she starts her campaign at the 2026 AO now.