BERLIN — Marketa Vondrousova, the former Wimbledon champion, triumphed at the Berlin Open on Sunday, overcoming a series of injuries to claim victory against Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu with a score of 7-6 (10), 4-6, 6-2.
At just 25 years old, Vondrousova had seen her ranking plummet to 164 after surgery on her left shoulder. This triumph marks her first championship since the remarkable Wimbledon win in 2023, and also her return to the finals.
“Everyone has been putting in tremendous effort to help me return to form. Coming here with the goal of just winning the first match, and now achieving this, is surreal. I’m filled with gratitude,” Vondrousova expressed to her team.
In a stunning semifinal performance, Vondrousova defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, paving the way for her clash with Wang, who had entered the finals after an exhausting tournament schedule of seven matches in just nine days.
Wang, aged 23, reached her first final after overcoming former champion Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals. She had an impressive run, previously defeating Daria Kasatkina, Coco Gauff, and Paula Badosa during the qualification rounds.
“This week has been extraordinary for all of us. I’m excited to build on this momentum and look forward to what’s next,” said Wang, who had secured only 10 wins this year before entering the grass-court event.
