Markéta Vondroušová has become the first unseeded player to win the ladies’ singles championship at Wimbledon. She pulled off a stunning 6-4, 6-4 upset over No. 6 seed Ons Jabeur, who finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive year. With this victory, Vondroušová joins the ranks of two other Czech-born left-handers, Martina Navratilova and Petra Kvitová, as Wimbledon champions.
Jabeur came out strong, taking a 2-0 lead in the first set and even securing a 4-2 advantage. However, Vondroušová turned the tide when she held at love to make it 3-4. From there, she won five games in a row to claim the first set and take the lead in the second set.
Vondroušová delivered a consistent performance in her second career major final, winning 6 of 7 break points and committing only 13 unforced errors. Her composure on the big stage was unexpected, especially considering that this was not only her first Grand Slam victory but also just her second WTA win overall.
Following her triumph, Vondroušová will rise from No. 42 to No. 10 in the WTA rankings. Although she had shown glimpses of her talent in the past, reaching the French Open final as an unseeded player in 2019, injuries had hindered her progress in recent years, including a wrist injury that kept her out of Wimbledon in 2022.
Regarding her comeback, Vondroušová said, “The comebacks aren’t easy. You never know what to expect, and after the second one, I was playing in small tournaments, hoping I could come back at this level. And now, this is happening.”
For Jabeur, this loss marks another disappointment after an incredible run at Wimbledon. On her way to the finals, she defeated four Grand Slam champions and avenged her loss to Elena Rybakina in last year’s Wimbledon finals. Despite her resilience throughout the tournament, Jabeur remains winless in major finals, having lost three out of the past five.
Reflecting on her defeat, Jabeur tearfully stated, “I think this is the most painful loss of my career. It’s been a tough journey, but that’s tennis, and I promise I’ll come back one day and win this tournament.”
The next Grand Slam event on the calendar is the US Open, where Iga Swiatek, the current world No. 1, will defend her title. Jabeur finished as the runner-up in New York last year.
