Wimbledon champion Krejcikova out of Eastbourne with injury

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova has withdrawn from Eastbourne with a thigh injury just four days before her SW19 title defence begins.

The Czech was taken to three sets in both of her matches on the south coast, beating Britons Harriet Dart and Jodie Burrage in round one and two respectively.

She was set to face France’s Varvara Gracheva in the quarter-finals but pulled out before the match began.

Two-time major singles champion Krejcikova initially felt the issue on Wednesday and said it had “got worse” overnight.

“I’m very sorry to have to withdraw as I’m having some soreness in my right thigh,” the 29-year-old said.

“I think it’s better with Wimbledon in the next couple of days just to rest it and to see what’s going on and to resolve that.”

Krejcikova, who will open play on Tuesday at Wimbledon as the defending women’s champion, has played just six matches this year after a lengthy lay-off with a back injury.

She lost her first-round match at Queen’s last week then saved match points against both Dart and Burrage.

The world number 17 beat Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon final last year.

• GB’s Tarvet, ranked 719, reaches Wimbledon main draw
• Alcaraz and the art of court positioning
• How to watch and follow Wimbledon across the BBC

Swiatek sets up Paolini semi-final

Elsewhere, world number four Paolini beat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-5 7-5 to set up a semi-final against Iga Swiatek at Bad Homburg.

Poland’s Swiatek came through a rain-interrupted match against Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4 7-6 (7-5).

Swiatek said she did crosswords during a two-hour rain delay before returning to seal victory in the second-set tie-break.

World number eight Swiatek has never reached a WTA Tour grass-court final, although she won Wimbledon as a junior.

However, she has beaten Paolini in all four of their previous meetings, including in last year’s French Open final.

Swiatek did not play any grass-court warm-up events before Wimbledon last year – where she was the top seed – and ultimately lost in the third round.