Defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova expressed her joy at returning to the "temple of tennis" as she successfully avoided a first-round upset with a hard-fought victory over rising star Alexandra Eala. The Czech player, who had been plagued by injuries this year, showcased her experience and resilience in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win on Tuesday at the All England Club.

Krejcikova, who triumphed over Italian Jasmine Paolini in last year's final, has faced significant challenges this season, including a back injury and a thigh problem that forced her to withdraw from Eastbourne last week. Despite these setbacks, she managed to overcome the talented 20-year-old Filipino Eala, who has been making waves on the WTA Tour.

"I was more excited than last year, definitely," Krejcikova said after the match. "I was feeling more of the happier emotions than I did last year. It's just great to be back - great to be playing in the temple of tennis. It's just a very, very special place here."

Krejcikova's preparations for this year's tournament mirrored those of last year, as she arrived at Wimbledon having played only a handful of matches and still recovering from injury. Despite this, she embraced the experience of returning as the defending champion, taking time to admire the Venus Rosewater Dish before stepping onto Centre Court.

"I really enjoyed the walk from the locker room down the stairs in front of the door to the court," she added. "When it opened, it was just a very beautiful and very joyful experience. This was really something that I was looking forward to since last year. I'm really happy that I had this opportunity to experience it."

The match itself was a rollercoaster, with Krejcikova looking out of sorts in the opening set against an in-form Eala, who recently stunned Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open and made history by becoming the first Filipina to reach the final of a WTA Tour event at Eastbourne. Despite her struggles, Krejcikova managed to turn the match around, eventually dominating the second and third sets to secure her place in the second round.

As Krejcikova continues her title defense, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if she can overcome her injury challenges and make another deep run at Wimbledon.