Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova withdraws from 2025 Australian Open due to back injury

The year's first Grand Slam tournament will be played without the woman who lifted one of 2024's major crowns. Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova announced Sunday that she'll miss this year's Australian Open with a lingering back injury.

In addition to winning at the All England Club last year, Krejcikova also made the quarterfinals in Melbourne for a second time in her career before losing to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka. The Czech's two major runs last year bookened a periods of injury, including two months off in the spring due to her back problem. The injury flared up again in the Asian swing and forced her to retire from a match against Mirra Andreeva in Ningbo, her penultimate tournament of the season.

"It’s really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarterfinals last year," Krejcikova wrote in a post to social media. "Thanks to all of you for your support. I’m working hard to get back to full health, and I can’t wait to see you on the court soon!"

Krejcikova last played at the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November, where she advanced out of the round-robin stage by beating Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula before losing to Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals.

Nuria Parrizas Diaz will take Krejcikova's spot in the draw.

Former world No. 1s Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki have also withdrawn from the tournament. 2018 champion Wozniacki will be replaced in the draw by Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva, while Pliskova, who had ankle surgery after the US Open, will be replaced by Canada's Rebecca Marino.

The Australian Open main draw begins on Jan. 12.