Marketa Vondrousova, who holds the 42nd position in the world rankings, emerged as the unexpected victor at Wimbledon. In a remarkable feat, she became the first unseeded woman to ever win the tournament, defeating Ons Jabeur, the runner-up of the 2022 edition, with a score of 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday.
Hailing from the Czech Republic, Vondrousova is a talented 24-year-old southpaw. Her ranking of 42nd made her journey to the final all the more extraordinary. In fact, she was the first unseeded woman to reach the final at the All England Club in six decades. Among the distinguished spectators present at the Royal Box was Billie Jean King, the 1963 runner-up, accompanied by Kate, the Princess of Wales.
The weather conditions played a role in the final as the retractable roof was closed due to the strong winds exceeding 20 mph (30 kph) outside. This sheltered both players from the elements and possibly favored Vondrousova’s fluid left-handed strokes, which consistently found their mark. Unlike Jabeur, who seemed tense, Vondrousova displayed remarkable composure in her shots.
Although Vondrousova initially fell behind in each set, she managed to mount a comeback. She won the last four games of the first set and the last three games of the second set, securing victory.
This triumph marks Vondrousova’s first Grand Slam title, an outstanding achievement. As a teenager, she reached the final of the 2019 French Open but narrowly missed the title.
On the other hand, Jabeur faced disappointment in major finals once again, making her record 0-3. The 28-year-old Tunisian player remains the sole Arab and North African woman to reach such heights in singles at any Grand Slam tournament. However, she previously lost to Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon and to the top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last year.
Vondrousova’s remarkable journey to the championship would have been difficult to predict just two weeks ago. Her past performances at Wimbledon were less than stellar, with a record of 1-4 and only one appearance in the second round on the grass courts. However, she defied expectations and emerged victorious with a flawless 7-0 record throughout the fortnight. Last year, Vondrousova couldn’t even participate in Wimbledon due to a left wrist injury, but she returned this year, fully recovered and determined to win. It is worth noting that her previous year’s ranking had dropped to a modest 99th due to her injury-related absence.
The match between Vondrousova and Jabeur saw early breaks of serve, resulting in a 2-all tie after 23 minutes of play. Subsequently, they exchanged breaks again, each at love, bringing the score to 4-all after 34 minutes. Jabeur, unfortunately, continued to make mistakes, accumulating a total of 27 unforced errors. Capitalizing on this, Vondrousova won 16 of the last 18 points in the first set.
During the break between sets, Jabeur took a trip to the locker room. However, her return to the court was marked by an immediate error, fueling the crowd’s support with their boisterous cheers. Another mistake from Jabeur gave Vondrousova a break point, and once again, she hit the net with her shot. The match, at this point, had reached 45 minutes, with Vondrousova leading by a set and a break.
Nevertheless, Jabeur initiated a comeback of her own by winning three consecutive games, securing a 3-1 lead. This mirrored the comebacks she had orchestrated in previous matches against Rybakina, Sabalenka, and Andreescu, where she bounced back after losing the opening sets. The crowd, known for their admiration of Jabeur’s positive demeanor both on and off the court, rallied behind her, supporting her impressive display of skill.
Unfortunately for Jabeur, her resurgence was short-lived. Vondrousova regained her composure, and with her husband witnessing her match for the first time in the tournament, she powered through to claim victory. When she sealed the match with a jumping volley, she joyfully tumbled onto the grass, experiencing unparalleled happiness on the hallowed Wimbledon surface.
