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Jessica Bouzas Maneiro scored one of the biggest upsets of the 2024 Wimbledon as she ousted defending champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round. She beat the Czech 6-4, 6-2 in front of a roaring Centre Court crowd to score her maiden Grand Slam victory in a memorable manner.
Vondrousova's defeat marked the third time a defending champion at Wimbledon was eliminated in the opening round. This is the second time it has happened on the women's side, with Steffi Graf being the other player to share this dubious distinction.
Coming back to the woman of the hour, Bouzas Maneiro is the center of attention following her triumph over Vondrousova. On that note here's a quick look into her life and career thus far:
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Who is Jessica Bouzas Maneiro?
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro was born on September 24, 2002 in Vilagarcia de Arousa, Galicia, Spain. After modest success as a junior, she reached her first ITF final in her native country in December 2020 but lost to Conny Perrin.
The Spaniard claimed her first ITF title soon enough as she started the next season by winning consecutive trophies in Egypt. She would add another title to the tally in March, and finished as the runner-up on another two occasions.
With all of Bouzas Maneiro's success coming on clay so far, she captured her first title on hard courts February 2022. She continued to rise through the ranks by grinding on the ITF tour.
2023 proved to be a breakthrough year for Bouzas Manerio. She was a part of the Spanish contingent at the United Cup, and got a taste of the WTA Tour when she was called in to replace Paula Badosa for a singles tie. She faced Olivia Gadecki and beat her in straight sets.
There was more good news in store for the Spaniard as she finally qualified for the main draw of a Major, achieving the feat at Wimbledon no less. However, she was beaten by Anehlina Kalinina in straight sets.
Bouzas Maneiro continued to build upon her results from last year in 2024. She won her first title on the Challenger circuit in Turkey in March. She reached an ITF final the following month, which helped her crack the top 100 of the WTA rankings for the first time.
Bouzas Maneiro qualified for the Madrid Open and stunned former World No. 2 Paula Badosa in the first round for her first win at the WTA 1000 level. She later made her main draw debut at the French Open as well but bowed out in the first round. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 83 in June 2024.
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vying to reach the third round of a Major for the first time
The Spaniard went through the grind of qualifying for Wimbledon once again, which she managed to do for the second straight year. She didn't feel the pressure of taking on Vondrousova in the first round, and played some fearless tennis to beat her.
Bouzas Maneiro will face her fellow Spaniard Cristina Bucsa in the second round on Thursday, July 4. The 21-year-old will be keen to back up her win over Vondrousova and prove that it wasn't a fluke.
