There are few better places to catch a glimpse of the next tennis champions than at the Wimbledon qualifying tournament on the grounds of Roehampton’s Bank of England Sports Centre. This is where many aspiring players begin their journey to the top levels of the sport. Last year, one familiar face in the crowd was Czech player Marketa Vondrousova. However, she was not there to compete. Just two months after undergoing her second wrist surgery, Vondrousova was in the middle of a six-month hiatus. She had traveled from the Czech Republic as a tourist to support her best friend and doubles partner, Miriam Kolodziejova, whose wedding was imminent.
Now, a year later, Vondrousova returned to the tournament and emerged as the champion. Reflecting on her victory, she expressed her disbelief, stating, “We did some sightseeing and some shopping, it was just a normal vacation, but I would have never dreamed of this moment.”
Vondrousova’s triumph serves as a reminder that the path to success in tennis is anything but straightforward. As the first unseeded Wimbledon women’s champion and someone who previously struggled on grass, her victory comes as a major surprise. However, there have always been hints that she was destined for greatness.
Having been a former junior No. 1, Vondrousova was one of the first players in her generation to break into the top 100 and transition to the main tour. At the age of 17, she captured her first title, winning a WTA 250 event in Biel, Switzerland, from qualifying while ranked No. 233. Two years later, she reached the French Open final at the age of 19.
It is worth noting that Vondrousova is only 11 days younger than Elena Rybakina, the Wimbledon champion from the previous year. However, there was a time when Vondrousova was far ahead in their development. In the 2019 French Open final, Rybakina had lost in the first round after qualifying for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
Sometimes, success takes time. In Vondrousova’s case, her progress has been hindered by two wrist surgeries, as well as a lack of conviction and a winning mentality in matches. Even with the hindsight of Ash Barty rising to No. 1 after their final, Vondrousova’s performance in the 2019 French Open final was extremely disappointing.
Two years later, Vondrousova showcased her talent on the hard courts of Tokyo during the Olympics. She defeated Naomi Osaka and Elina Svitolina, who was ranked No. 6 at the time, en route to the gold medal match. She had beaten higher-ranked players than her final opponent, Belinda Bencic, and was playing at a higher level. However, she lacked the toughness to secure the win.
Throughout her career, Vondrousova has struggled to consistently display her excellence. Prior to her Wimbledon victory, she had only won one WTA title and had lost four consecutive finals. This tendency to disappear in crucial moments frustrated not only herself but those around her as well.
After her triumph, Vondrousova mentioned a conversation with her mother following a doubles final loss in Berlin earlier this year. It was her seventh consecutive defeat in a final at the WTA level in both singles and doubles. She shared, “My mom was there watching. She was so upset. She told me: ‘I don’t want [you] to be second all the time.’ I was like: ‘OK, Mom, we’ll try today.'”
Interestingly, Vondrousova won Wimbledon without a clothing sponsor. After Nike chose not to renew her contract last year, she felt a sense of sadness but also used it as motivation. She stated, “We’re going to try to find something else, just show them I’m going to be good. I’m going to play good and we’ll see what happens now.”
Now that she has achieved her first major success, the question remains whether Vondrousova can consolidate her position and consistently perform at a high level. There is no doubt about her game, which presents a refreshing contrast to the power players who currently dominate the sport. With her delicate hands, variety, left-handed tactics, drop shots, and slices, Vondrousova can be a challenging opponent. However, in a fast-paced sport where competition is fierce, the challenge of establishing herself among the elite players is ongoing.
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