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Ons Jabeur appeared inconsolable following her 6-4, 6-4 defeat to unseeded Marketa Vondrousova in the women's singles final of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships on Saturday, July 15.
The Tunisian had advanced to the final at SW19 last year as well, only to go down to Elena Rybakina. This year, she was expected to prevail against Vondrousova, who had never advanced past the second round of Wimbledon. However, Jabeur ended up losing in straight sets to the Czech.
Contrasting scenes of agony and ecstacy played out simultaneously on Center Court after the match. Ons Jabeur and her husband Karim Kamoun looked distraught even as Marketa Vondrousova seemed overcome with joy following her incredible win.
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A tearful Jabeur, who also lost the US Open to Iga Swiatek last year, admitted that the defeat was the most painful loss in her career. She did, however, promise to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam one day.
“I will try to speak because this is very tough. I am going to look ugly in the photos so that's not going to help. I think this is the most painful loss of my career," the sixth seed said at the trophy presentation, before pausing to acknowledge the roar from her fans.
"First I want to say congratulations to Marketa and her team for this amazing tournament. You're an amazing player. I know you have had a lot of injuries so I am very happy for you. It's going to be a tough day for me today but I am not going to give up. I am going to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam one day," she went on.
"Tennis is crazy" - Marketa Vondrousova after stunning Ons Jabeur in Wimbledon final
Marketa Vondrousova created history in 1 hour and 20 minutes, even overcoming a late fightback from Ons Jabeur, to become the first unseeded woman in the Open Era to bag the Wimbledon trophy. The 24-year-old is also the third player from the Czech Republic, after Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova, to win the coveted title.
Ons Jabeur, who began as the favorite against the 2019 French Open runner-up, had everything going her way with a break of serve early in the match. But Vondrousova came into her own as the contest progressed.
Jabeur put some pressure in the second set but the Czech kept her composure to finish the contest in straight sets.
The newly-crowned Wimbledon champion has had her share of injuries in the past. She stressed that comebacks were not easy while adding that it was amazing to hold the Wimbledon trophy after everything she had been through.
"After everything I have been through, I had a cast last time, it's amazing I can stand here and hold this. Tennis is crazy. I don't know how I've done it," Vondrousova said.
"The comebacks are not easy you never know what to expect. I was hoping I could comeback to this level and now I am here," she added.
Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova had a 3-3 head-to-head record before taking on each other in Saturday's final.
