Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova celebrates with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after beating Ons Jabeur in Saturday’s Wimbledon final Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova celebrates with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after beating Ons Jabeur in Saturday’s Wimbledon final. Photo: Sebastien Bozon/AFP
Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in the Open era as the Czech swept to a shock 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in Saturday's final.
As the first unseeded woman in the Wimbledon final in 60 years, Vondrousova was a heavy underdog against sixth-ranked Jabeur.
😘#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/VSfPGaSDuu
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 15, 2023
But the 24-year-old upset the odds on Centre Court to win her maiden Grand Slam title at the second attempt after losing to Ash Barty in the 2019 French Open final.
Vondrousova joins Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova as the only Czech women to win a Wimbledon title.
She is just the ninth unseeded champion at a Grand Slam tournament.
Vondrousova's triumph completed a remarkable comeback after a rash of injuries stalled her promising career.
Just 12 months ago, she was an injured bystander at Wimbledon, reduced to watching her best friend Miriam Kolodziejova attempt to qualify for the main draw.
When it all begins to sink in...
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 15, 2023
Marketa Vondrousova shows off her new silverware from the #Wimbledon balcony pic.twitter.com/tAVbuTT2Qq
Vondrousova's second wrist surgery had ruled the Olympic silver medallist out for six months, although her absence from the tour at least allowed her the space and time to get married.
She was the second-lowest ranked player to reach the Wimbledon final — only Serena Williams in 2018 was lower at 181.
So unexpected was her run that she told her husband Stepan Simek to stay at home in Prague to look after their cat Frankie until the final, when a pet sitter was found to allow her partner to make the trip to Wimbledon.
AFP