Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title in the Open era as Ons Jabeur’s wait for a major goes on.
Vondrousova, 24, is ranked 42nd in the world after missing six months of last season with a wrist injury.
But the Czech handled the nerves of the occasion better than 2022 runner-up Jabeur to win Saturday’s final 6-4 6-4.
Sixth seed Jabeur, 28, has now lost all three major finals she has played in.
Vondrousova, who came to Wimbledon as a fan last year wearing a cast after wrist surgery, fell flat on her back as the magnitude of what she had achieved sunk in.
“I don’t know what is happening – it is an amazing feeling,” said Vondrousova, who beat five seeded players to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
After sharing a warm embrace with Jabeur at the net, she knelt on the grass again and looked close to tears as she drew the acclaim of the Centre Crowd crowd.
Then, as is tradition these days, she clambered up to the players’ box to hug her team and family – including husband Stepan, who arrived in London to watch the final after previously staying at home in Prague to look after their pet cat.
By contrast, Jabeur looked heartbroken as she sat on her chair with her head bowed.
“This is very, very tough. The most painful loss of my career,” said Jabeur, who had been aiming to be the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.