Wimbledon often provides captivating narratives, and this year is no different. Marketa Vondrousova, with her distinctive style, tattoos, and unexpected victory, captured the crowd`s affection two years ago.
On Wednesday, a shared understanding might fill the air at the All England Club as she faces Emma Raducanu in the second round. These two former Grand Slam champions are familiar with challenges, public scrutiny, and high expectations, yet their major titles validate their talent.
Vondrousova is often seen as a subtle, underestimated player capable of surprising top opponents, a true “giant-slayer.” Raducanu remains a prominent figure in tennis, constantly dealing with immense pressure following her memorable Grand Slam breakthrough.
Both players have experienced turbulent careers since their Grand Slam triumphs, marked by injuries and inconsistent performance. A straightforward path would be a welcome change for either.
Raducanu recalled watching Vondrousova reach the French Open final when she was younger, seeing her as ahead. She praised Vondrousova`s incredible comeback from wrist surgery to win Wimbledon, calling her a “really, really talented player.”
Vondrousova made a significant impact at the 2019 French Open as a 19-year-old, becoming the first teenager since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009 to reach a Grand Slam final (where she lost to Ash Barty).
She later underwent wrist surgery, missing part of the season before returning to win a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, defeating two top-10 players. More injuries kept her out of three of the four Grand Slams in 2022. Then, in 2023, she shocked the tennis world by winning Wimbledon as the first unseeded women`s singles champion and the lowest-ranked champion in the Open Era, overcoming Ons Jabeur in the final. Her captivating personal stories, like that of her cat Frankie, added to her popularity at the All England Club.
Highlighting the unpredictable nature of her career, Vondrousova became just the second reigning Wimbledon women`s singles champion in the Open Era to lose in the first round the following year (to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro). This mirrored Raducanu`s experience at the 2022 US Open, where she also lost in the first round as the defending champion.
An injury setback in early 2025 again interrupted her season. However, demonstrating her resilience, Vondrousova claimed the Berlin Open title just a week before Wimbledon, defeating top-ranked players including world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka en route to the final.
Raducanu mentioned their previous match in Abu Dhabi this year, acknowledging Vondrousova`s strength. She commented on the difficulty of consistently performing at the highest level after winning a Grand Slam. Raducanu noted Vondrousova`s current excellent form, highlighting her Berlin win and victories over top players, stating it will be a “really difficult match” and she`ll need to play “very well” to win.
Raducanu, perhaps more than anyone, understands the immense expectations and fluctuating fortunes that come with a major victory, especially one as historic as hers.
Raducanu first met Vondrousova during her breakout 2021 Wimbledon appearance, winning their second-round match 6-2, 6-4 en route to reaching the fourth round in her main draw debut.
Recalling their 2021 Wimbledon encounter, Raducanu described it as one of her best matches, where she played aggressively. She called it a “big change, a big turning point” for her career and expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to play in the second round again.
That memorable run at Wimbledon in 2021 set the stage for a historic summer, culminating in her unprecedented victory at the US Open. There, she became the first qualifier, male or female, in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title, defeating Leylah Fernandez in the final without losing a single set.
Following her US Open win, there were high expectations, sometimes unfairly ignoring the competitive depth of women`s tennis and the emergence of new stars in the post-Serena Williams era. The intense pressure, coupled with injuries (ankle and wrists), personal challenges like stalking, and frequent coaching changes, made consistent progress incredibly challenging.
Vondrousova acknowledged the immense pressure Raducanu faced, particularly coming from a larger country. She felt Raducanu experienced “crazy pressure… in every tournament all the time” and is impressed by how she`s handling it, acknowledging “it must have been crazy for her to live all of that.”
Raducanu has shown promising signs of returning form over the past year, re-entering the top 50 rankings and reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final. She did face Vondrousova earlier this year as a wildcard in Abu Dhabi, where she was defeated.
Vondrousova expects a tough match, noting Raducanu is playing at home. She believes Raducanu is improving and returning to her rightful place among the top players. Vondrousova described Raducanu as a “great player” with strong groundstrokes and anticipates a challenging encounter on Wednesday.
Raducanu secured her second-round spot by defeating Welsh teenager Mimi Xu, contributing to a successful opening day for British players. Vondrousova advanced by beating recent Nottingham Open champion McCartney Kessler. The winner of their match could potentially face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the next round, provided Sabalenka defeats Marie Bouzkova. Sabalenka is seeking her first Grand Slam title of the year after reaching two finals.
