On April 16, 2017, a mere 17-year-old girl suddenly appeared in the final of a relatively large WTA tournament in Biel, Switzerland. This 17-year-old had defeated famous names like Kristyna Pliskova and Barbora Strycova on her way to the tournament, without dropping a single set, and, to top it all off, she also defeated Anett Kontaveit in the final. The name of this then 17-year-old talent was Marketa Vondrousova, left-handed and born on June 28, 1999, in Sokolov, Czech Republic. No one knew then that this same Marketa Vondrousova would excel at the iconic Wimbledon tournament a few years later and take the title.
Name: Marketa Vondrousova
Nationality: Czech
Born on: June 28, 1999
Tennis hand: Left
Current WTA Ranking: 6
Marketa Vondrousova started playing tennis at the age of four. Sport was her natural habitat: she learned tennis from her father, David Vondrous, while her mother, Jindriska Anderlova, competed at the highest level in Czech volleyball. Yet, despite having been a fan of her idol Roger Federer since childhood, it wasn't immediately clear which sport she would pursue. Ultimately, she chose tennis over football. The reason? Marketa Vondrousova preferred the individuality that comes with tennis.
In one fell swoop in the international top 100
At 15, the Czech player moved to Prague on her own to train day in and day out at the highest level. This move proved to be a valuable step. Vondrousova, who describes herself as "quiet" and "calm," won her first major WTA title two years later, as mentioned above, and from that moment on, she immediately shot into the world's top 100. It was only her second appearance in a WTA main draw, and thanks in part to this victory, she was able to compete in virtually every major tournament, including the Grand Slams.
Yet, her success at major tournaments wasn't quite there yet. In 2017, she only made it through one round at Roland Garros, and in 2018, after defeating, among others, our compatriot Kiki Bertens, she was eliminated in the fourth round. However, in 2019, a new career highlight followed for Marketa Vondrousova. After defeating players like Anastasia Potapova, Petra Martic, and Johanna Konta, she reached the Roland Garros final against all odds. There, Ashleigh Barty was too strong in straight sets, but this, along with her finals in Budapest and Istanbul that year, proved to be a prelude to new success for the 1.72-meter-tall Czech. After that year, Marketa Vondrousova was ranked 16th on the WTA.
Vondrousova's greatest successes
While she had a slightly disappointing year in 2020, new success followed in 2021. At the Tokyo Olympics, Vondrousova stormed to the final, where Belinda Bencic ultimately proved just a tad too strong in three sets. Nevertheless, with a silver medal, she could be satisfied with her result in Tokyo, where she defeated Bertens, Japanese "home player" Naomi Osaka, Paula Badosa, and Elina Svitolina, among others. These were big names who likely wouldn't have expected the Czech player, then still only 22, on the hard court.
The absolute highlight of the career of coach Jan Hernych's pupil thus far followed two years later in London, where Marketa Vondrousova won Wimbledon. It wasn't without its challenges: Vondrousova struggled with injuries in 2022, but returned stronger in 2023. In London, Vondrousova defeated Veronika Kudermetova, Jessica Pegula, and Svitolina, among others, before facing Ons Jabeur in the final. The Tunisian, too, couldn't match the Czech's talent, and so, friend and foe alike were surprised when Marketa Vondrousova won Wimbledon. It not only earned her an iconic title and substantial prize money: she also entered the top ten of the WTA Ranking for the first time and qualified for the WTA Finals. Currently, Marketa Vondrousova is ranked No. 6 in the WTA world rankings .
