"Honestly I cannot believe I won" - Emotional Donna Vekic tears up after Wimbledon 2R win over Sloane Stephens

An emotional Donna Vekic welled up with tears following her victory over Sloane Stephens in the second round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

Vekic scripted a remarkable comeback victory over former US Open champion Stephens, thus securing a place in the third round for only the second time in her career. In an intense battle lasting two-and-a-half hours, the Croatian fought her way back from a 6-4, 5-2 deficit to claim a well-deserved win.

Donna Vekic made an impressive comeback after being behind in the match, winning five consecutive games to even the score at one set each. In the third set, Sloane Stephens saved four break points to secure a 1-0 lead, while Vekic fought off three break points to tie the game at 1-1.

The rallies and games that followed were intense and demanding, but the Croatian managed to hold her ground and never allowed Stephens another chance to break her serve and ultimately won the match.

During the post-match on-court interview, Vekic was visibly emotional and teared up. She expressed her gratitude to the crowd and her team for their unwavering support.

Vekic acknowledged that she had always regarded Stephens as one of the best players in the world, and the match proved her right as the American showcased her remarkable skills and strength.

Reflecting on the intense battle, Donna Vekic admitted that it was an incredibly challenging match, and she honestly couldn't believe that she won.

"Thank you guys so much. I always said to my team that I think Sloane is one of the best players in the world and I think she definitely showed that today. It was an incredibly tough match today and honestly I cannot believe I won," Vekic said.

"I felt like I was getting killed" - Donna Vekic

Donna Vekic at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

Following her win over Sloane Stephens, Donna Vekic gave her thoughts on the intense match.

She described the encounter as nothing short of extraordinary, expressing her disbelief at how she managed to reverse the tide to secure a win.

"It was a crazy, crazy match. I still, I don't know, it's been an hour and a half since the match, and I still don't know how I managed to turn things around today," Vekic said. "But somehow I managed to fight and win."

When asked about her emotional state after the match, the Croatian explained that her intense emotions stemmed from feeling utterly dominated on the court.

She expressed that Stephens' exceptional performance left her feeling helpless and unsure of how to respond.

"I mean, I was losing. Not that I was just losing; I felt like I was getting killed. She was playing so well. I didn't know what to do," she addd. "I was just very frustrated in some moments. Just expecting more from myself."

Donna Vekic will next face Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova in the third round at Wimbledon on Friday.

Vekic won their sole prior encounter, securing a 6-4, 6-4 win at Hobart in 2018.