2023-07-15 14:27:46
LONDON | Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday became the first player in modern tennis history to win the Wimbledon title without being one of the tournament’s top seeds, ahead of a Ons Jabeur who burst into tears when Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, presented her for the second year in a row with the loser’s trophy on the most prestigious of grounds.
The Czech, 42nd in the world, won 6-4, 6-4 at the expense of the Tunisian, seeded sixth, who has now lost the three Grand Slam finals in which she participated, she who also lost in the US Opened last year.
Ons Jabeur, in tears, the trophy of the finalist in hand, Saturday at Wimbledon. Photo: AFP
Slow career
Vondrousova, 24, was in her second major tournament final, following appearing in the final match at Roland Garros in 2019, aged just 19.
This unexpected coronation of the Czech is in a way a balm on a career which promised to be promising, but which was until very recently slowed down by numerous injuries, including one to a wrist which caused her to miss six months of activities last year.
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, alongside All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt in the royal box during the Wimbledon women’s final on Saturday. Photo: AFP
Even before the match started, it was very palpable, Jabeur’s nervousness, in the corridors leading to the field where she was pacing.
“Honestly, I felt a lot of pressure, a lot of stress, she pointed out at a press conference. But like in every final, I thought it was normal. I gave everything I might.”
And this tension was transported to the central early in the first set, when the Tunisian began to multiply the unforced errors.
Never really in control
Helped by her left paw and by the roof which was closed for this final, Vondrousova quickly took advantage of it.
Although she didn’t have to force too much: like the dream that inhabited Jabeur, the net seemed too high for the former world number 2, who landed a good number of balls.
The sixth seed cracked for good at 4-4 in the first set, having previously led 4-2.
She then started the second run as badly as she finished the first.
A brief burst of pride allowed him to take the lead once more, 3-1. He undoubtedly gave her hope, too: in this fortnight where she had inherited an incredibly difficult table, Jabeur came back from behind once morest Bianca Andreescu in the third round, then once morest Elena Rybakina in the quarters and once morest Aryna Sabalenka, in the semi-finals.
But the Tunisian was once more broken twice, including in the ninth game, leaving the tenacious Vondrousova the privilege of kissing the most coveted of trophies.
Marketa Vondrousova had the privilege of kissing the Venus Rosewater Dish given to the Wimbledon champion on Saturday. Photo: AFP
“Tennis is crazy!”
“Tennis is crazy!” said the champion who, a year ago, was in London as a spectator to encourage a friend, she who was on the sidelines due to this wrist injury.
An evil so serious that she did not know if she might once more reach such a high level.
“After everything I’ve been through, it’s amazing to be standing there with the trophy,” continued the winner, who will break into the WTA top 10 for the first time on Monday.
Marketa Vondosova celebrates with the Wimbledon champion’s trophy. Photo: AFP
Especially since the grass is far from being the favorite surface of Vondrousova who, before this Wimbledon, had never done better than the second round in London.
“It was the major tournament that seemed to me the most impossible to win,” she said. When we got here, I was like, okay, just try to win a few games.”
Marketa Vondrousova. AFP photo
The toughest of his career
What she did, notably by eliminating the fourth seed, Jessica Pegula, in the quarterfinals, then the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, former top 3, in the semi-finals.
Before, of course, this great triumph once morest Jabeur.
“We’ll get there one day, I promise you,” said the finalist to her team, her face still flushed with emotion, in her post-match speech.
Meanwhile, her husband, Karim Karoum, who is also her physical trainer, was also wiping away tears in the stands.
“It has to be the toughest loss of my career,” added Jabeur. It’s a tough day for me, but I promise to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam title. I will win this tournament.”
A hug from the princess
Indeed, the disappointment still inhabited the Tunisian an hour later, when she met the journalists. But Jabeur did not want to sink into negativism. “If I’m depressed, it won’t help me much,” she conceded.
Ons Jabeur mightn’t hold back her tears when she was presented with the runner-up trophy on Saturday at Wimbledon. Photo: AFP
The latter was also comforted in the locker room by Belgian Kim Clijsters, former world premiere and four-time Grand Slam champion, who lost her first four finals before finally winning her first title.
“We cried together, said Jabeur. She is a big inspiration to me, I love her so much. […] Indeed, there is perhaps some positive to be taken from all this. It wasn’t due for me today.
And Kate Middleton also comforted the loser, on the field.
“She didn’t know if she might give me a hug or not,” said the Tunisian. I told her that I still love hugs. It was a very beautiful moment, she is always very nice to me.
Ons Jabeur might not contain his disappointment when he received the runner-up trophy from Kate Middleton on Saturday at Wimbledon. Photo: AFP
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