Google News
"I think everything is sinking in right now...this crazy journey," Marketa Vondrousova laughingly said after winning her first grand slam on Centre Court at Wimbledon. she just wanted to play as best she could when taking the court with Ons Jabeur.
Ons is the Tunisian charismatic WTA player ranked no. 6 but oftentimes plays like a higher leveled tour performer. She usually has many skills and tools that she'll pull out to score points and games of victory. This wasn't on of those times.
Marketa and Ons come from different parts of the world and section of the WTA touring women players. Ons is used to performing and coming out victorious often under pressure from mental and physical components. She wants to help her people in Tunisia learn and enjoy the sport of tennis and contribut any way to their well being.
Marketa comes from the Czech Republic and not so much impinged on having her country focus on tennis and having a direct hand intheir understanding and enjoyment of the game. It would be on rare occasions Ons Jabeur would bow at a first round of any tournament.
It was purely by coincidence as the season started that she loss in the second round at the Australian Open to whom else but Marketa Vondrousova. She had been the first unseeded woman to win at Wimbledon and the entire experience to the quiet but smiling Czech was nearly mind-blowing.
Injuries and two surgeries caught Marketa last year with her arm in a cast. She reminisces saying that "...It's amazing that I can stand here and hold this trophy. The Czech had told Ons that she knew everyone was cheering for her and was glad to hear many get vocal for her, "Thank you guys for cheering for me," she'd gratefully giving compliments to the crowd.42 and finished at no.
10 in the world. "She played with a lot of confidence and she was fearless...you had to have your 'A' game in all matches," commentator and former player legend Chris Evert said of Marketa. Evert in her own right is a multi-grand slam winner of 2 Wimbledon titles, two U.S.
Open, two French and two Italian titles. The first time on Centre Court and Marketa didn't seem frazzled at al. "She outserved her. She was consistent. She had more left...very few players can do that," Evert added. But Marketa's game might not have seemed likeshe was chasing a reputation to be better than before.
She played with a free spirit and with hardly anything to lose...and never did. Vondrousova would be embarrassed to bail out to another Czech compatriot, Karolina Muchova at Indian Wells. Marketa bowed out at opening rounds too, even including grand slams but this time it was special.
She came into Wimbledon ranked no. 42 and finished at no. 10 in the world. Since her title win after Wimbledon there will be a new environment for Marketa. She may be accepting new and lucrative sponsorships and more to be expected of her.
Will she be able to perform just as well as at Wimbledon? Can she stay healthy now and strive to go deep at most tournaments? It's all up to her. She's proven her abilities to herself and opponents. Consistency and confidence she'll have to show now when she steps onto a court of any surface.
Marketa Vondrousova takes things in stride and on court appears to be calm and collected. She seems to have a plan A and B for winning in her strategies of success. Time is now to relax until the next tournament. She'll happily joke her coach to see if he'll get his first tattoo as she has many. She just wants to relish her glory for now, saying "I think I'm gonna have some beers."