Barbora Krejcikova hasn’t had it easy since lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish last year, so it’s a delight to wish her well on her return to the All England Club, where she will take to the traditional Tuesday stage on Centre Court to launch the defence of her ladies’ title.
After a back injury that has reduced her to playing just six matches this year, she’s now arrived, maddeningly, with a thigh ailment.
But Wimbledon can work restorative wonders. The “fairytale” memories have flooded back about how she managed to win as an outsider seeded at No.31. Things are tough and complicated, she says, but it’s not difficult for her to feel enchantment to be back.
Krejcikova’s opponent today will be hoping for a fairytale too. Anyone who witnessed inconsolable Alexandra Eala’s tears at Eastbourne on Saturday after she had seen four championship points disappear in an epic final with another rising star, Maya Joint, will be rooting for the forlorn 20-year-old.
She’s the new idol of sport in her native Philippines. Where it used to be Manny Pacquiao’s fists, now it’s Alex’s forehand. Had she converted one of those match points, Eala would have been the first Filipina tour champ, but that will come just as surely as the appearance she’s already made as a Vogue cover star.
Krejcikova will relish countering one of the game’s young shooting stars with her crafty all-court wiles, but there’s real peril for her just a year since her Czech mate Marketa Vondrousova became the first defending ladies’ champion to be knocked out at the first hurdle since 1994.
But then who would be brave enough to predict anything about the destination of this year’s title after seven consecutive years with a first-time Ladies’ Singles Champion.
Maybe Coco Gauff will extend that to eight in a row, while also becoming the first same-year Roland-Garros/Wimbledon ‘Channel-Slam’ winner in the women’s game since Serena Williams a decade ago.
It’s hard to believe Coco was just 15 when Wimbledon fell for her in 2019 after she vanquished Venus Williams with such youthful joy and respect. Even harder to believe she’s still only 21.
Yet this feels like her time, after never previously getting past the fourth round,
as she kicks off her latest bid against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
If it doesn’t feel quite the same at the first Wimbledon since Sir Andrew Barron Murray retired, then never fear. The splendid Jack Draper is ready to bring succour.
“Obviously Andy has done an unbelievable job and become adored by the nation,” says the top-seeded male Briton, at No.4, since Murray was last defending champion.
“It’s obviously big shoes to fill. I’m aware of that. At the same time, I’m confident in myself that hopefully I can inspire people like Andy has done.”
What a good fellow he seems, mentally and physically growing into this most demanding of roles as some national sporting beacon – but it doesn’t half help if you win, too.
Draper’s Wimbledon record is won two, lost three, but he knows that won’t do any more, and he’s ready for the mad, ballooning expectations, understanding how a nation will believe he’ll beat a player as good as Sebastian Baez, a seven-time tournament winner, as a matter of routine.
We can, though, probably expect world No.1 Jannik Sinner, fresh from duetting with Andrea Bocelli, to hit the high notes on the same court against his motorcycle-loving buddy Luca Nardi, although it’s never easy to have to take down one of your best mates and hitting partners.
Novak Djokovic is with us again, too, in seemingly high spirits and still looking dangerous enough at 38 to declare Wimbledon his best chance at claiming that elusive record 25th Grand Slam.
The aura only grows, too. We did enjoy his French opponent Alexandre Muller’s howl of mock horror on social media when hearing of his draw: “Please No, God, Please, No, No!..”
Dan Evans, who’s been making a heartwarming revival, and fellow wild card Jay Clarke, will joust on Court 12 to ensure a British second round opponent for Djokovic should the seven-time champion prevail.
We started with a fine Czech champ and will finish with one, possibly paying a farewell salute to our elegant, unassuming two-time champion Petra Kvitova, who takes on American No.10 seed Emma Navarro on No.1 Court, gracing the lawns for the 16th time.
As mum to year-old Petr and with a body that’s now “struggling a bit”, she’s found her comeback difficult and has decided to call it a day after the US Open.
But she was determined to savour one last hurrah here because “Wimbledon has always been my special tournament”.
Well, we have to tell you that you’ve been one of our special champions, too, Petra.