LONDON: In a stunning upset, Czech player Marketa Vondrousova made history as the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in the Open era. Vondrousova secured a remarkable 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the final on Saturday.
Entering the match as a heavy underdog against the sixth-ranked Jabeur, Vondrousova defied expectations and clinched her maiden Grand Slam title. The 24-year-old had previously reached the 2019 French Open final but fell short against Ash Barty.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Vondrousova exclaimed, “After everything I’ve been through – I had a cast on this time last year – and now I can’t believe I’m holding this trophy.” The Czech player had been sidelined with a wrist injury in 2022 but made an inspiring comeback.
Vondrousova joins the ranks of Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova as the only Czech women to win a Wimbledon title. She also becomes only the ninth unseeded champion in the history of Grand Slam tournaments.
Remarkable Journey for Vondrousova
The victory completes a remarkable journey for Vondrousova, who faced numerous setbacks due to injuries. Just a year ago, she was unable to participate in Wimbledon and watched from the sidelines as her friend attempted to qualify. However, Vondrousova’s perseverance paid off, and she made an unexpected rise to the final.
On the other hand, the defeat was another heartbreaking moment for Jabeur, the world number six. Weeping during the post-match trophy presentation, Jabeur expressed her disappointment but vowed to keep pushing forward. Last year, she became the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon but fell short of claiming the title.
Jabeur’s hopes of becoming the first African and Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title were dashed once again. Despite the support of 15,000 partisan fans on Centre Court, she struggled to find her rhythm against Vondrousova’s powerful game.
Throughout the match, Vondrousova displayed composure and maintained her focus, while Jabeur struggled with unforced errors and inconsistency. Breaking Jabeur’s serve multiple times, Vondrousova secured the victory and celebrated her unexpected triumph with a perfect volley before falling to the ground in delight.
