TNT Sports
Wimbledon 2023: Marketa Vondrousova blasts into final to end Elina Svitolina's fairytale run at SW19
By
Published 13/07/2023 at 15:57 GMT+1
Wild card Elina Svitolina's improbable run to the last four at Wimbledon, just three months after returning from maternity leave and amid a horrifying conflict at home in Ukraine, has enraptured the fans over the last two weeks. But she had no answer to the showcase of shots that Marketa Vondrousova produced in a superb straight-sets victory for the Czech, who reached her first final at SW19.
Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova reacts after winning a point against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles semi-finals tennis match on the eleventh day of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimble
Image credit: Getty Images
Marketa Vondrousova reached her first Wimbledon final by ending the fairytale run of Elina Svitolina with a straight-sets victory on Centre Court.
The world No. 42 produced a series of stunning winners and drop shots as she overpowered the Ukrainian in a 6-3 6-3 victory that lasted 74 minutes.
"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 Vondrousova.
"I was crazy nervous! I was nervous the whole match. I was leading 4-0 in the second set and she fought back. Thank you to you guys for your amazing support."
Wild card Svitolina became the darling of the Wimbledon public over the last two weeks with an improbable run to the last four, which came just three months after her return from maternity leave and amid the backdrop of a horrifying conflict in her native Ukraine.
But she was unable to repeat the heroics that saw her take out top seed Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, as Vondrousova overcame late nerves to clinch a sensational win that puts her one victory away from a career-first Grand Slam title.
Vondrousova, who became the first unseeded player to reach the women's singles final at Wimbledon in the Open Era, will play Aryna Sabalenka or Ons Jabeur in Saturday's final.
Both players got off to nerve-settling starts with two holds each through the opening four games, but the match soon exploded into life.
Svitolina found herself in trouble at 0-30 down on serve and a wayward forehand slice then handed Vondrousova three break points. The Czech pounced emphatically on the first, whipping a forehand winner down the line.
The Ukrainian needed a quick response and that was exactly what she found as she earned a break-back point in the following game, saved by a delicious Vondrousova drop shot. However, two consecutive errors from the Czech player put the set back on serve at 3-3.
Those mistakes appeared to put fire in the belly of the world No. 42, as she earned a second break to edge back in front before consolidating with a love hold to go one game from the set.
Vondrousova did not want to wait to serve it out and instead earned another break – and set - point in game nine, hitting a breathtaking slice forehand winner on the run to help her get there. A simple forehand miss from Svitolina saw her concede the set as she was broken for a third time.
The Czech could not have hoped for a better start to the second set, earning two breaks and two holds.
There was a point for the highlight reel when she showed outstanding defence before striking a full-stretch forehand winner on the run for the first break, and she needed four break points before a Svitolina unforced error surrendered the second break – and seemingly the match - at 4-0.
But all of a sudden, the momentum started to turn. Errors crept into Vondrousova’s game as Svitolina earned a break-back for 4-1, with the Czech suddenly starting to make sloppy errors and hit double faults.
That feeling only grew as Svitolina held comfortably before earning a chance for a second break to incredibly put the set back on serve – but she netted when meeting a drop shot.
A second break point soon arrived and a wayward Vondrousova forehand earned the Ukrainian an incredible second break to put her one game away from levelling the second set.
The Czech dusted herself down and came out firing in the following game, earning two break points and taking the first as Svitolina fired a forehand wide and left Vondrousova serving for the match.
A double-fault at 30-0 showed that the Czech was feeling the pressure, even more so when she stuck a forehand into the net for 30-30. But she held her nerve to take the next two points and complete a hard-fought win.
Svitolina waved goodbye to the crowd and was given a huge roar of applause as her wonderful run ended.
- - -
Stream daily highlights from Wimbledon at 10pm UK time, as well as the two singles finals live on July 15 and 16, on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
Advertisement
Advertisement