Marketa Vondrousova triumphs over Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon final to take the title at the world’s most famous tennis tournament as an unseeded player.
The 24-year-old Czech won the final on Saturday (07/15/2023) in 80 minutes 6: 4, 6: 4. The favorite Jabeur also left the field as a loser in her third Grand Slam final and has to wait for her first major title. Last year Jabeur lost to Jelena Rybakina in the final.
Vondrousova wins Wimbledon as an unseeded player
Vondrousova received prize money of 2.75 million euros for her triumph in a match at a rather moderate level. The Czech, who lost the 2019 French Open final, is the first player since Billie Jean King in 1963 to reach the All England Club final unseeded. Unlike her famous predecessor, who watched the sensational triumph from the box of honor, Vondrousova now also won the title.
The previous number 42 in the world rankings is the third Czech after Jana Novotna (1998) and Petra Kvitova (2014/2011) in the list of Wimbledon title winners.
Jabeur: “Most painful defeat of all”
After the third failed attempt at a Grand Slam title, after the final defeats in Wimbledon and the US Open last year, Jabeur kept fighting back tears. “This is the most painful defeat of all today“said the Tunisian in an interview on Center Court, but also congratulated her opponent: “You are a fantastic player.”
Thanking the London fans for their support, who continued to celebrate after the match, she promised: “I come back. Someday I will win here.” Jabeur went into the final as a favorite last year, but surprisingly failed due to Rybakina. The Tunisian remains number six in the world rankings. Vondrousova will achieve her best placing so far on Monday in tenth place.
Vondrousova overjoyed – with the coach to the tattoo studio
“I’m incredibly proud“, said the overjoyed Wimbledon winner, who experienced the tournament last year as a tourist after a protracted injury in London. She thanked her box, especially her husband Stepan, who had traveled to the final one day before their wedding day.
She will now celebrate the title together with her family, she said in the winner’s interview. “The last two weeks have been fantastic but also very exhausting.” She announced to her coach that she would visit the tattoo studio for Monday – they had bet together during the tournament that he would have to get a tattoo if Vondrousova actually triumphed in Wimbledon. The Czech redeemed her part of the bet.