Saturday, July 5

Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Wimbledon third-round match between Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Navarro, including predictions, head-to-head and their tournament so far.

Fresh off another three-set victory at Wimbledon, defending champion Barbora Krejcikova aims to continue her winning streak at the All England Club when she faces Emma Navarro on Saturday.

Unlike the 2024 champion, the 10th seed has progressed to the third round with relative ease, dropping just seven games so far; however, a tougher challenge is expected as she pushes to reach the last 16.

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Match preview

Krejcikova is becoming something of a marathon woman at the All England Club after yet another three-set win at Wimbledon.

By defeating Caroline Dolehide 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 on Thursday, the defending champion has now won four consecutive matches at the Championships in three sets, including last year’s semi-final victory over Elena Rybakina and the final against Jasmine Paolini.

After needing to overcome some rustiness against Alexandra Eala in the first round on Tuesday, the 17th seed responded well to losing the second set against Dolehide by convincingly taking the decider.

Now with a 15-3 record at Wimbledon, last year's champion is aiming for her 10th win on the trot to reach the last 16 in consecutive years for the first time, setting up an exciting fourth-round clash with Mirra Andreeva or Hailey Baptiste.

Although the 29-year-old, two-time Grand Slam winner, began her Wimbledon title defence with doubts hanging over her after missing most of the year due to a back injury, the world No. 16, now 5-3 for the season, hopes to record her sixth win to reach the last 16.

On the other side of the net is Navarro, who responded to a disappointing first-round loss at the French Open to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro with a commendable grass season.

The world No. 10 reached the quarter-finals at the Queen's Club Championships and in Bad Homburg, sandwiched between a last-16 appearance in Berlin, and is now 6-3 on grass this season.

In only her third main-draw appearance at the All England Club, the 24-year-old holds a 6-2 overall record here and hopes to secure her seventh win over the defending champion.

Following a run of three consecutive Grand Slam quarter-finals, which was halted by her disappointing exit at Roland Garros, Navarro's progress in London suggests a return to normal service at the majors.

However, the 10th seed, who has dropped just seven games so far, will need a strong performance to overcome her more experienced opponent, who is prepared to go the distance at SW19.

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Tournament so far

Barbora Krejcikova:

First round: vs. Alexandra Eala 3-6, 6-2, 6-1

Second round: vs. Caroline Dolehide 6-4, 3-6, 6-2

Emma Navarro:

First round: vs. Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-1

Second round: vs. Veronika Kudermetova 6-1, 6-2

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Head To Head

Krejcikova and Navarro will meet for the first time on the women’s tour, with the winner taking a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head.    

Both players have had contrasting runs at this year’s Championships, with the defending champion needing deciders, while the American has dropped just seven games.    

Having defeated Petra Kvitova, a former Wimbledon champion, in the opening round, the 10th seed aims for another victory against last year’s winner at SW19. 

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We say: Navarro to win in three sets

Although Krejcikova has had to battle very hard in rounds one and two, facing someone like Navarro could pose even greater challenges for the Czech star.    

Another three-set encounter is likely on Saturday, with the American favoured to edge out last year’s champion, ending the two-time Grand Slam winner’s title defence.

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