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Vondrousova was in her first Grand Slam final.
Markéta Vondroušová Having defied the odds throughout the last fortnight at Wimbledon, the Czech did so again in Saturday’s women’s final, becoming the first unseeded woman in the Open Era to win the popular tournament.
The world number 42, who was playing in her first Grand Slam final, created history by beating the sixth seed 6-4 6-4 on Center Court.
Not since the American, who was ranked 181st in the world, Serena Williams in 2018, has not reached a Wimbledon final where a female player has fallen further down the world rankings.
At the start of the tournament, no one expected Vondroušová to compete in the championship, not even her husband, who stayed until the end to take care of their cat, Frankie, in the Czech Republic.
But Zabeer became the fifth-seeded Under-24 player in the tournament as her unpredictability proved difficult for her opponents to overcome, especially as the Tunisian struggled despite several chances to take control of the match.
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Jabir was in tears after the defeat.
History would have been made no matter who lifted the Venus Rosewater dish in the final, but the enormity of the occasion weighed heavily on Jabir, who has now lost his second straight Wimbledon final, he said after the defeat. The pain of her life.
But that’s what puts pressure on a player, especially one who carries the hopes of not only a nation, but a continent, while trying to grapple with her own expectations, dreams and past failures. Zabeer again became the first Arab and African woman to win a Grand Slam, but her 31 unforced errors proved costly and the wait continues.
“I’m not going to give up, I’m going to come back stronger,” she said at center court, wiping away tears.
More to follow.
