Barbora Krejcikova admits she is starting to feel “stressed quite a bit” over her back injury and also blames quick transitioning for her physical setbacks.
After lifting her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last summer, the Czech didn’t do particularly well in her next tournaments but she did manage to reach the semifinal at the WTA Finals.
And since Riyadh, she has been sidelined and is set to miss more action after confirming her withdrawals from Indian Wells and Miami.
Speaking to Czech media, Krejcikova revealed that at this point, she is starting to feel concerned about whether she will again be pain-free.
“Recovery is not as fast as I expected, that’s true, but I am doing everything possible to return as soon as possible,” the former world No. 2 told Sport CZ.
“I wonder if I will ever be completely free of pain again, right now it is a situation that stresses me quite a bit.”
Krejcikova: My head was spinning, I didn’t feel well at all…
Because it was an Olympic year and Roland Garros was the venue where the tennis event was held, some players – like the Czech – changed three different surfaces in a month.
And after going from clay to grass – then from grass to clay – and then from clay to hard – the 2024 Wimbledon champion noticed that it left a physical toll on her body.
Reflecting on that, Krejcikova described transitioning from grass to clay as “one of the most challenging things.”
“I remember that the first day it rained, on the second, there was heat, and I played in the afternoon with the hottest weather, as well as long matches,” the world No. 16 explained.
“I noticed this the next day when my strength quickly began to diminish. After the first match, my head was spinning and I had cramps, I didn’t feel well at all.”
In the same interview, Krejcikova hinted that she may cut on doubles when she returns and be more selective with her scheduling.
It remains to be seen if the Czech will at least be ready for the clay season in April.