Marketa Vondrousova seals Wimbledon glory after controlling low expectations

By Oli Dickson Jefford at Wimbledon

A lot can change in one year; just ask new Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

On women’s final day in 2022, the 24-year-old had returned to Czechia after sightseeing in London during the tournament, and was preparing to say ‘I do’ as she wed husband Stepan Simek the following weekend.

Vondrousova’s career has been blighted by frequent left wrist injuries and last year saw her struggling worse than ever, missing three of the four Slams and spending much of 2022 in a cast after surgery.

Fast forward to two weeks ago and she had fought her way back up to 42nd in the world, signs of the form that once took her to French Open and Olympic finals starting to emerge.

But, having just won one match in four previous Wimbledon campaigns, no one would have predicted her to become the first unseeded female champion at SW19.

Yet, having conquered five seeded players, she was out on Centre Court on Saturday, up against returning finalist Ons Jabeur and a crowd willing the Tunisian on.

Perhaps less internal and external expectation kept Vondrousova more at ease when it mattered, the deftest of volleys on match point closing out a 6-4 6-4 win in a final dominated by her opponent's nerves.

“When I was coming back, I didn't know what's going to happen, if I can play at that level again,” she said.

“I mean, this seems impossible. Even on grass I didn't play well before. I think it was the most impossible Grand Slam for me to win, so I didn't even think of it.

“When we came, I was hoping to try to win a couple of matches. Now this has happened, it's crazy.

“I was open-minded. I didn't have much stress till [Saturday]. I think you just have to believe in yourself. I was just trying not to think much about the title.

“I think I just kept my nerves together, just stayed calm. In my head, I was really calm the whole match. I think the semis I was more nervous than this final.

“I think that was the main key to this title, that I just kept believing and kept calm.”

Vondrousova’s triumph is one to celebrate but this was a missed opportunity for Jabeur, who has now lost all three of her Grand Slam finals.

She was perhaps unlucky to face Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek in her previous matches, but this was a gilt-edged chance that she spurned.

Playing for her first Slam and seemingly the entirety of the Arab world, she was never able to play unburdened, her arm always tight, always looking anguished and uncertain.

“Maybe adapting to her rhythm was very difficult for me, plus the pressure and the stress of the final,” the 29-year-old conceded.

“I didn't think I played well today, so many things that I should have maybe done. Not serving well did not help. Also Marketa returns every ball. Even if I did a good serve, she was there. That didn't help my serve much.

“It's painful because you feel so close to achieving something that you want, and actually back to square one. I’ll just try to get rid of these negative thoughts and continue being positive.”