Wimbledon: Marketa Vondrousova’s pride, Ons Jabeur’s tears

Wimbledon: Marketa Vondrousova’s pride, Ons Jabeur’s tears

“When I think that this time last year I had my wrist in a cast from an operation and I was a tourist in London…how exciting. When you come back it’s not easy to understand what it will be like, I was hoping to come back at this level but I’m grateful and proud of myself.” Thus, under the eyes of Martina Navratilova, Czech Marketa Vondrousova recounts the fairy tale that led her to win Wimbledon, the first non-headliner in history.

“It’s been a very stressful two weeks and tonight I want to celebrate with a beer,” she added, smiling. “Then tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary and it will be really beautiful,” she continued, looking toward the grandstand in the direction of her young husband. The Czech then wished Jabeur to win the tournament in turn, “Ons, you are an inspiration to all of us, a great person. I hope you will win, you deserve it.”

Ons Jabeur, defeated in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row, did not hold back tears on receiving the runner-up award. “I will look horrible in photographs, but this is the most painful defeat of my career. However, I don’t want to give up and I want to come back stronger than before,” said the Tunisian, amid applause. “Congratulations to Marketa for this amazing victory. You are an amazing player and knowing about all her injuries I am happy for you. I promise to come back and win this tournament.”

After winning only one career tournament, in Biel in 2017, and reaching the finals at Roland Garros in 2019 and at the Tokyo Games two years ago losing to Ashleigh Barty and Belinda Bencic respectively, Vondrousova won the world’s most prestigious tournament today. Jabeur, on the other hand, is in her third out of three finals lost after last year’s Wimbledon and US Open finals to Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, respectively.