Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Barbora Krejcikova raised the Rosewater Dish last July.
Today, the reigning Wimbledon winner lifted her level under pressure scoring her first grass-court win of the year.
The second-seeded Krejcikova saved two match points defeating British wild card Harriet Dart 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5 to advance to the Eastbourne Open round of 16 today.
It was Krejcikova’s first grass-court win since she converted her third championship point defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to capture her maiden Wimbledon singles championship on July 13th.
World No. 71 Dart held double match point serving at 5-4, 40-15 in the final set.
Afterward, Krejcikova said she’d nearly mentally checked out of the match at that point.
The two-time major champion won four points in a row to break back, navigated a tough hold for 6-5 then broke a disconsolate Dart at love to complete a captivating comeback.
“It was a really tough match and I expected Harriet to play well because she’s home favorite and she loves to play on grass and we are quite close also outside of the court,” Krejcikova told BBC afterward. “So I expected it was gonna be tough and to be honest in the third set when I was down and having those two match points down I was kind of already in the locker room.
“I’m happy I turned it around.”
It is Krejcikova’s first win since she beat Queen’s Club champion Tatjana Maria in the Roland Garros first round last month.
Today, Krejcikova converted six of seven break points in a two-hour, 40-minute win.
The 17th-ranked Czech will face another British wild card, Jodie Burrage, for a quarterfinal spot.
Burrage beat Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-2.
Aussie qualifier Kimberly Birrell knocked off fourth-seeded Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-4. Birrell will play former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next.
Emma Raducanu rallied past American Ann Li 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1.
Raducanu won the final four games and converted her fourth match point to close. Flipping her racquet aside, an emotional Raducanu was in near tears after a two hour, 18-minute triumph.
"I want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments," Raducanu afterward.
"It really meant a lot to me and I'm really proud of how I fought back after losing the first set.
"It was tough, it was up and down. But from the middle of the second set I think I found another gear and another level."
Raducanu has been battling a back issue recently, which may have contibuted to her emotional reaction.
The seventh-seeded Raducanu will play 19-year-old Aussie Maya Joint in the round of 16.