Barbora Krejcikova has always been a streaky player and this year has been no different.

In a difficult five-month period from February to June, largely due to a back injury, she won a total of only three matches. But bookending that disappointing time are two fabulous Grand Slam quarterfinal runs. Krejcikova won four matches at the Australian Open and now she’s done it again at Wimbledon.

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On Monday, the 28-year-old from the Czech Republic crafted a smooth 7-5, 6-3 victory over Danielle Collins. She’ll play No.13 seed Jelena Ostapenko, who handily defeated Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 6-3 earlier in the day.

Streaky. Hard to believe, but this was Krejcikova’s first Top 20 of the season.

The No.31 seed did not face a break point until the eighth game of the second set, which told the story of the match.

“It’s a great feeling,” Krejcikova said in her on-court interview. “It’s a huge honor to be here to play at Wimbledon. It's just unbelievable … that I’m here and that I can perform well. It’s a gift.”

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The French Open champion in 2021, Krejcikova also reached the quarterfinals twice at the Australian Open (2022, 2024) and once at the US Open (2022), but Wimbledon is the fourth and final major in which Krejcikova has earned a berth in the elite eight. Her best previous effort here was the fourth round in 2021, where she lost to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty.

The hardest part of dealing with injuries, Krejcikova said after her third-round match, is finding a match rhythm. 

WTA Insider Podcast: Krejcikova plots her comeback from injury

“I feel it takes me just longer or I feel like after the injuries that I had, it just took me more matches to get back and to get used to the match rhythm,” Krejcikova said.

Safe to say, she’s found the groove at the All England Club. It helps that she’s been pain-free since playing in Strasbourg in mid-May.

“It’s always nice when you feel good and you don’t really have any big, big issues,” she said. “Yeah, I mean, it feels good. It’s a great moment to be out there and to be able to compete and keep improving.”

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Her first-round match, a three-set win over Veronika Kudermetova, was tough, but then Katie Volynets forced her to win two tiebreakers in the second round. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro retired from their third-round match trailing 6-0, 4-3.

With the No.11-seeded Collins enjoying her finest season in what she’s called her last on the Hologic WTA Tour, Krejcikova was going to have to be at her best. Collins took the title at the WTA Tour 1000 in Miami and put together a 15-match win streak.

Collins came into this match having yet to drop a set, but Krejcikova eventually changed that. It was 5-all and Collins’ serve had been under attack for most of the match. She saved the first nine break-point opportunities that Krejcikova had -- but not the 10th. An errant forehand gave Krejcikova the first break.

Despite a nervous double fault that made it 30-all, Krejcikova served out the set with an unreturnable serve.

Krejcikova broke Collins again in the third game of the second set, and again in the fifth. In between Collins had a medical timeout with a left leg injury.

Two double faults from Krejcikova -- serving for the match at 5-2 -- gave Collins three break chances, the last one which she converted.

Krejcikova broke Collins in the last game, at love, when her forehand found the net.

“I’m definitely very happy with the way that I won today and that I’m through to the quarterfinals, that I was able to do the extra step that I wasn’t in 2021,” Krejcikova said. “It feels great. I’m happy that I’m still competing.”

Regarding the quarterfinal against Ostapenko, Krejcikova said, “I’m definitely looking forward to that match. I’m for the first time in quarterfinals, and we’re going to celebrate it tonight, have some good food.”