Unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova completed her fairytale run at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon as she upset No. 6 seeded favourite Ons Jabeur in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
For Africa and the Arab world, the wait goes on as Jabeur misses out on the biggest prize a third time.
The 28-year-old Tunisian has lost in three Grand Slam finals since the 2022 Wimbledon, where she lost to Elena Rybakina; the US Open final was lost to Iga Swiatek. And despite being the favourite on Saturday, she again came up short.
Previous disappointment
Before getting it right on Saturday at Wimbledon, the 24-year Vondrousova has also recorded her near misses.
She painfully lost in the 2019 French Open final to Ashleigh Barty, but on Saturday, she did well enough to become the first unseeded finalist at Wimbledon since 1963 when Billie Jean King accomplished the feat.
Interestingly, this is the first Wimbledon tournament where Vondrousova will advance past the second round. After breaking that jinx, she went on to become the first unseeded Wimbledon women’s champion in the Open Era.
Errors cost Jabeur
With the retractable roof closed to start the match, Jabeur broke Vondrousova in the second game, and then both players traded, breaking each other’s serve, and when the game was square at four, Jabeur started making mistakes.
She won just two points the rest of the set, as Vondrousova took control, taking the last four games to close out the set, again winning set point on an unforced error by Jabeur.
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Jabeur, who had 31 unforced errors, was up 3-1 in the second set and was again broken in the ninth game, giving Vondrousova a chance to serve for the match.
Though still the only Arab woman or North African woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final, Jabeur will be pained she failed to make history yet again after coming this close for a third time.
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