Photo credit: Berlin Tennis Open Facebook
Transforming Berlin’s grass to a trampoline, Marketa Vondrousova soared to the title in a bold bounce-back today.
Vondrousova saved six set points in the tiebreaker, igniting a 7-6(10), 4-6, 6-2 victory over Wang Xinyu to capture the Berlin Tennis Open title.
World No. 164 Vondrousova is the lowest-ranked champion in Berlin history completing a wondrous week that saw her topple top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 in yesterday’s semifinals for her first-ever win over a world No. 1.
On a blistering Berlin afternoon, the 25-year-old Czech stayed cool under intense tiebreaker pressure. Vondrousova got a bit of help in that breaker when Wang netted a backhand from nearly on top of the net on her second set point.
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Grass-court tennis rewards Vondrousova’s creativity—and her drive to make history.
This is Vondrousova’s third career championship coming two years after she won five of the final six games stopping Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 to become the first unseeded Wimbledon women’s champion in history.
“Thank you for the support,” Vondrousova told Berlin fans. “Congrats [Xinyu] on a great week you played an amazing week. Congrats to your team. It was a great match. We’ll see each other next tournament…
“I felt we came here to try to win the first match and now this is happening. I’m very grateful to be standing here.”
Today’s triumph vaults Vondrousova 91 spots in the rankings back into the Top 100 at No. 73. If the former world No. 6, who has battled shoulder issues and wore taping strapping her left shoulder throughout the week, can stay healthy and perform at this level, she should continue a rocket ride back up the rankings.
Spare a thought for Wang, who played through qualifying then defeated four Top 20 players in a row—Daria Kasatkina, Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff, Paula Badosa and former champion Liudmila Samsonova—to reach her maiden Tour-level final. Wang, who snapped an 0-6 lifetime record in Tour-level semifinals beating Samsonova yesterday, put herself in position for a one-set lead when she snatched a 6-2 tiebreaker lead only to tighten in that tiebreaker.
“I think we couldn’t ask for a better crowd than this for a final. Thank you so much,” a gracious Wang told the crowd. “I want to say well done to Marketa and her team, you’ve been playing great tennis and it’s great to see you back.
“Best of luck for Wimbledon….It’s been an unbelievable week for us. We keep on building and looking forward to the next one.”
World No. 49 Wang, who had never posted multiple Top 20 wins at the same tournament before this week, served for the first set at 5-4, but could not close it.
The left-hander double faulted into the tape to hand back the break and give Wang another shot to serve it out at 6-5.
Tension tightened up the Chinese qualifier’s right arm again. Wang netted a backhand to face double break point.
Wang had a clear look at open court down the line, but shoveled a forehand long—her third unforced error of the game gifted back the break sending this set into a tiebreaker.
The maiden finalist shook off those disappointments rolling to a 6-2 lead and four set points in the breaker.
Vondrousova refused to yield. On the first set point, she carved a volley winner then saved the second set point on a netted backhand.
The left-hander spun a forehand winner down the line denying a third set point then caught a break when a skittish Wang netted a forehand and suddenly it was 6-all.
Vondrousova slammed an ace for set point, but Wang answered with a forehand winner.
On Wang’s fifth set point, Vondrousova pumped a forehand winner down the line for 9-all.
On one of the hottest days of the Berlin summer, fans were sweating and both women on court were trying to keep their cool.
Wang earned a sixth set point. Vondrousova bunted her poorest drop shot of the set that sat up as if on a tee. Swooping forward, Wang was in prime position to close the set but knocked her two-hander into the top of the tape in a cringe-worthy miss for 10-10.
A slice serve gave Vondrousova a third set point and when Wang set a drive deep the lowest-ranked finalist in history finally took a topsy-turvy opening set in 62 minutes.
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The pair traded breaks to start the second set.
Wang stamped her second love hold of the match, edging ahead 3-2.
The 23-year-old Chinese threw down another love hold for 5-4.
Empowered, Wang whipped a couple of forehand winners for two set points. Though Vondrousova had open court down the line she shoveled a backhand long as Wang snatched the second set with her third break to force a decider after one hour, 43 minutes of play.
After two love holds in her prior three service games, Wang played one of her worst service games, surrendering serve at love as Vondrousova broke to start the decider.
Spreading the court with her forehand, Vondrousova crashed a forehand into the tape that crawled over on Wang’s side of the court for double break point. When Wang scattered a forehand wide, Vondrousova seized a 4-1 double-break lead.
Firing one final forehand to close an adventurous two hour, 16-minute triumph, Vondrousova dropped to her knees and arose with her third career title.
Prior to her 2023 Wimbledon title run, Vondrousova had only two career grass-court victories to her credit.
Vondrousova will return to SW19 this month with two grass-court crowns to her credit and a well-earned reputation as a dangerous threat to go deep in the draw.