Wimbledon: Marketa Vondrousova can 'crash the party' at US Open 2023 after triumph, says Mats Wilander
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Published 17/07/2023 at 06:40 GMT
Marketa Vondrousova stunned the tennis world to claim her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, and Mats Wilander does not believe it will stop there for the Czech star. Ahead of the US Open, the Eurosport tennis expect is backing Vondrousova to continue to makes waves on the women's tour and upset the current 'big three' of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.
'She's going to do more great things' - Wilander expects Vondrousova to build on Wimbledon win
New Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova can "crash the party" and "do more great things" at the US Open following her victory at SW19, says Mats Wilander.
The Czech arrived in London unseeded but stormed through the tournament with wins over the likes of Jessica Pegula and Elina Svitolina before a straight-sets victory over Ons Jabeur in the final.
The victory saw her claim her maiden Grand Slam title, having previously lost the 2019 French Open final, as well as the Olympic final in Tokyo a year later.
Eurosport tennis expert Wilander was impressed by Vondrousova’s temperament in such a big moment and feels the win could be a turning point in the 24-year-old’s career.
“Well, I mean, obviously she's a very, very crafty, great tennis player that didn't mind the pressure of playing a Wimbledon final,” he began.
“That was the question that we didn't know the answer to because she's obviously lost two big finals, one at the French, one at the Olympics before, but she came in and she was very calm.
“So she goes on to the hard courts, which I think would have been a better surface for her than grass before we saw her win Wimbledon.
“I think that she's going to have so much confidence. Obviously, she's going to have to deal with a bit of pressure, a bit of recognition that she didn't have before when she gets over to North America to play those tournaments."
He added: “I think that to beat her, if she's keen, if she's then motivated again, it's going to be very difficult.
“I think that she's going to do more great things because of the way she behaved and acted in that final against Ons Jabeur. Unflappable!”
Wilander also predicts that she will go from strength to strength, starting in America.
“Vondrousova can certainly crash the party," he said. "She's already done that and she can do it at the US Open.
“I think what this does in Wimbledon is give her that confidence once she gets to another grand slam of playing a match, taking a day off, playing another match, taking another day off and that's a rhythm that it is not easy to find and accept.
“I think once you've done it, you relish that situation where you have a day off between big matches.”
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'Very difficult to call' - Wilander previews women's US Open draw
Wilander believes the emergence of Vondrousova as well as the impressive performances of her beaten Wimbledon final opponent Jabeur means the so-called ‘big three’ of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina won’t necessarily be a closed shop as far as a potential winner at Flushing Meadows is concerned.
“Very difficult to call the US open for sure,” he said. “Obviously, Iga Swiatek goes in as the favourite, the defending champion from last year.
“You have to put Ons Jabeur up there in the big tournaments these days because she keeps showing up in finals, and obviously making the final there last year, you have to throw her in there for one of the favourites.
“And then the obvious two is Aryna Sabalenka, great hard court player. That's her best surface, I think, And then Elena Rybakina. I'm not sure if hard court is as good a surface as grass is for her, but she's certainly one to reckon with
“And now you're going to have to throw Marketa Vondrousova in there just because she knows how to do it. She's done it, but, most probably needs a few more tournament victories before you can safely put her inside the ‘big five’.”
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Wimbledon women's singles final: Vondrousova stuns Jabuer to win fist title
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