Vondrousova: Could not Shake the Nerves

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Picture credit score: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Self-doubt caught to Marketa Vondrousova as tight because the tattoos adorning her arms.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Vondrousova could not shake the nerves or the daring strikes coming from Jessica Bouzas Maneiro’s racquet.

More: Shoulder Injury Knocks Sabalenka Out of Wimbledon

In her Wimbledon main-draw debut, Bouzas Maneiro dethroned defending-champion Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2 in a surprising and historic Wimbledon opening-round upset.

The sixth-seeded Vondrousova made ignominious historical past.

Thirty-years after American serve-and-volleyer Lori McNeil surprised Steffi Graf 7-5, 7-6 in a rain-interrupted Wimbledon opener, Vondrousova grew to become the primary defending girls’ champion to crash out of The Championships first spherical.

At present, an unsettled Vondrousova was stalled by a hip damage, spooked by spiking nerve and unable to unravel the 21-year-old Spaniard.

“I believe observe was high quality and every thing. Yeah, right this moment I used to be a bit scared due to my leg, too,” Vondrousova instructed the media at Wimbledon. “However I do not suppose that was the rationale. I felt the nervous from the beginning.

“Yeah, I imply, she was additionally taking part in an excellent match. That was form of powerful, too.

“Total it was very powerful. Yeah, it is powerful emotions additionally to return. I really feel like everyone simply expects you to win perhaps. That is powerful, too.”

Indicators of jitters had been evident within the opening sport because the left-handed Czech clanked three double faults gift-wrapping the break—and a lift of confidence to the Wimbledon main-draw debutant.

“At present I used to be actually nervous for the reason that begin. I, like, could not perhaps shake it off,” Vondrousova mentioned. “Yeah, additionally she was taking part in good. I did not, I do not know, like had many possibilities to come back again to the match or she did not give me a lot free factors additionally.

“Yeah, credit to her. I’ll be again stronger, I hope.”

Although Vondrousova was clearly bodily compromised, credit score the 83rd-ranked Spaniard for scoring a collection of firsts. Bouzas Maneiro scored her first main main-draw win, her first grass-court win and her first Prime 10-win in a profession second that left her practically pinching again tears of pleasure.

Throughout the web, it’s important to really feel for Vondrousova, who has endured her share of non-public ache a 12 months after ascending to skilled peak.

Final April, Vondrousova introduced she and husband Stepan Simek had been within the strategy of divorcing—and her husband had taken her beloved cat Frankie.

“I am undoubtedly not having a contented time in the previous couple of weeks. My marriage with Stepan ended just a few weeks in the past, we broke up,” Vondrousova instructed Czech web site Blesk final April. “He moved out with the cat.”

The divorce ends a close to eight-year relationship. The couple, who started courting as youngsters again in 2006, acquired engaged across the 2020 Olympics. They wed on July sixteenth, 2022.

“It simply did not work out for us,” Vondrousova mentioned. “It wasn’t what we each imagined, so we agreed to not be collectively anymore. “Now we’re formally resolving the divorce, however we’ve agreed on every thing.”

Regardless of all she’s been by means of, the Olympic silver medal champion confirmed psychological mettle persevering with to compete.

Regardless of right this moment’s defeat, Vondrousova will all the time have the recollections of her magical Wimbledon run, elevating the Rosewater Dish and the expertise to know if she will be able to regain her well being, she is a risk on all surfaces. 

“It is powerful to exit defending the title. Yeah, I used to be actually nervous from the morning and every thing,” Vondrousova mentioned right this moment. “Yeah, she was additionally taking part in good tennis, in order that’s form of powerful, too.

“You do not have many possibilities to, I do not know, simply win free factors perhaps. She was returning additionally good. Yeah, my serve wasn’t so good right this moment. Total, I believe I wasn’t at my finest, and he or she was taking part in good.”