Unseeded Marketa Vondrousova creates history by reaching Wimbledon final

Czech player ends dream run of Elina Svitolina with straight sets win

Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova defeated Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in their Wimbledon semi-final on Thursday, July 13, 2023. AFP

Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic became the first unseeded player in 60 years to reach the Wimbledon women's final on Thursday as she crushed the title dreams of Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

World No 42 Vondrousova came through 6-3, 6-3 and will be playing in her second Grand Slam final after finishing runner-up at the 2019 French Open.

The 24-year-old was rewarded for her attacking approach, breaking serve six times and unleashing 22 winners to Svitolina's nine.

"I cannot believe it. I am very happy that I made the final. Elina is such a fighter and a great person. It was a tough match," said the Czech.

"I was crazy nervous. I was nervous the whole match. I was leading 4-0 in the second set and she fought back."

Reaching the final comes after a miserable time for the Czech; she underwent a second surgery on her wrist last year, which ruled her out for most of 2022.

"I didn't play for six months last year and you never know if you can be at that level again," she said. "I'm so happy to be back out here."

Ukrainian Svitolina had become a crowd favourite at the All England Club after she produced a fearless brand of tennis to send four Grand Slam champions spinning out of this year's tournament.

But on Thursday, no matter how much the crowd tried to lift her with cries of "We love you Elina", Svitolina appeared to be weighed down with the expectation of giving her war-ravaged country "a little bit of happiness".

A forehand passing shot winner gave Vondrousova the break for a 3-2 lead and although she surrendered her own serve in the next game with some unforced errors, including a double fault, she was back in front again in the very next game.

From them on, Svitolina was left exasperated over and over again as Vondrousova frustrated her with her swinging left-handed serve to win seven games on the trot.

Just when it seemed that Vondrousova would whitewash her in the second set as the Czech held points to go 5-0 up, Svitolina came out swinging and broke her opponent not once but twice.

But that respite for Svitolina was fleeting as Vondrousova blocked out all the cries of support being thrown Svitolina's way to hold tight and sealed her place in the final when her opponent blocked a service return long on match point.