Marketa Vondrousova is the WTA World #44, a Czech left-hander from Sokolov who made tennis history by winning Wimbledon 2023 as the first unseeded women’s champion in the Open Era. That title run at the All England Club was one of the most remarkable Grand Slam stories in recent memory, a player ranked outside the top seeds navigating an entire fortnight without the protection of seeding and defeating higher-ranked opponents on the sport’s most prestigious stage.
Vondrousova’s game is defined by her left-handedness and the awkward angles it produces, particularly on grass where the ball stays low and skids through the court. Her serve swings naturally into right-handed opponents’ bodies from the ad court, and her crosscourt forehand targets backhands with a trajectory that most players rarely encounter. She is not a power player; instead, she uses variety, touch, and tactical intelligence to disrupt opponents’ rhythm and create opportunities from positions that bigger hitters would try to overpower. Her 2019 Roland Garros finalist campaign, where she reached the final on clay as a teenager, demonstrated that her game translates across surfaces when her confidence and form are aligned.
The period following her Wimbledon triumph has been challenging. Defending a Grand Slam title places unique pressure on a player, and injuries have complicated her ability to maintain the ranking her talent warrants. The drop from champion status to the mid-40s in the rankings is a common pattern for players who achieve a peak result and then must navigate the physical and psychological demands of defending it while managing their bodies through a punishing tour schedule. Vondrousova has dealt with wrist issues that have limited her ability to compete consistently.
What remains unchanged is the quality of her tennis when she is healthy and confident. A left-handed player with touch, variety, and proven Grand Slam pedigree is always dangerous at the Slams, regardless of seeding or current ranking. Vondrousova has already proven she can win at the highest level on both clay and grass. The question is whether her body will allow her to produce that level consistently enough to mount serious campaigns at the tournaments that matter most.
Vondrousova will compete at the 2026 Grand Slams: the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Check Czech Republic time to convert match schedules.