THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 15, 2023

Marketa Vondrousova

Press Conference

M. VONDROUSOVA/O. Jabeur

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Wimbledon champion, Marketa Vondrousova.

Marketa, how does it feel, Wimbledon champion?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I think everything is sinking in. It's unbelievable. It was very tough match, and I was so nervous before. I'm just so grateful and proud of myself.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When you finished the match, what goes through your mind?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I mean, relief. 'Cause when I was 40-Love up, I almost couldn't breathe. It's just like everything is on you. Yeah, I mean, I'm just very happy that I stayed in my head and I just kept it together.

It was really tough in some moments. I think it was just a great match. We had some great rallies. She's amazing player. She's amazing person. That was the tough part also. We know each other very well.

I'm just very happy that I kept fighting in the important moments.

Q. On court you said you plan to get a new tattoo and your coach as well. Have you had time to think about what that might be? As importantly, what his might be as well?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I think I'll choose for him. Maybe we'll get the same one. We talked before the tournament, and he said, Yeah, so maybe if you win a Grand Slam, then I'll do it. Then this is happening.

I hope he's not going to back. I think I'm just going to made him do it. So we'll see (smiling).

I hope we can make it happen here.

Q. Martina Navratilova said before the final that you should hope for the roof to be closed. Obviously it was closed. When did you find out it was going to be closed and how did that go about? Presumably you were glad it was closed.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so I played couple of matches under the roof. We played with Jessica the end of the match, then with Elina was the same thing.

Yeah, I think it's better for me. I think they told us around 10. I had warm-up at 11. I just said, Let's go outside. It was very windy, so it was a bit different.

Yeah, I just wanted to eat, get everything done. I just want to stick to the plan. We went to hit at 11. I was really happy they closed the roof because it's very different than in the windy weather.

Q. Could you explain a little more about how you think it helps you to be in that closed environment, without any wind? Also, what to you is the best part of winning this championship?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I mean, the roof can help you with serve. You don't have to focus on the wind so much. I feel like everything is the same on every side. I think you just have to focus on the game, not on the wind, not even on the sun.

I think that's a good thing. I'm used to playing indoors. We practice in Prague in winter indoors. I always play good indoors. I was like, yeah, maybe that's going to help me.

Yeah, I mean, winning, it's amazing feeling. I have my husband here. My little sister came also on Friday. Yeah, I'm just very happy to share with the people I have here 'cause in Paris it was a bit sad. I couldn't go there to hug them. Now this happened. I think just to share it with them, it's amazing.

Q. How impossible did this feel last year when you had the cast on your wrist? What was the process of getting back to believe you could challenge for this?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, I had a cast last year at that time. It was impossible. I was watching my best friend here playing quallies. I was a tourist here.

Yeah, when I was coming back, I didn't know what's going to happen, if I can play at that level again. Yeah, I mean, this seems impossible. Even, like, I don't know, on grass I didn't play well before. I think it was the most impossible Grand Slam for me to win, so I didn't even think of it. When we came, I was just like, Try to win couple of matches. Now this happened, it's crazy.

Q. Your husband in the box was very calm, not showing much emotion. Is that superstition? He had his hand over the face a lot of the time.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: He's like this all the time (smiling). I think when I came to the box, he cried. I saw him after, and he cried a lot. I think that's the first emotion I saw him over the eight years (laughter). I think he cried on the wedding day also, but that was it for the eight years, so... That's it.

Q. You said you have never believed that you can win Wimbledon. Your play style obviously suits grass because of the lefty, slice. During the past two weeks, is there any specific match or moment where you felt that you can play good on the grass?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I mean, when I saw the draw, it wasn't so easy. I had Veronika, then I had Donna. They played amazing on grass the tournaments before. I was like let's try. I beat them in two sets. I was like, okay, maybe something can happen here.

Yeah, I think I was just, like, open-minded. I didn't have much stress till today. I think you just have to believe in yourself. I was just trying not to think much about the title and everything.

I think you just have to stay, like, focused and in your head, and just have the small circle around you, just do the same things as you always do. Yeah, I feel like anything can happen.

This is amazing.

Q. You alluded to it earlier, how much sweeter does this feel after the French Open final, after the Olympics, the injuries you've had? Must make the journey and the tough moments worth it.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I was thinking we played finals in Berlin of doubles. My mom was there watching. She was like, she was so upset.

She told me, I don't want to be second all the time.

I was like, Okay, Mom, we'll try today.

She was like, I'm not coming. I just want to watch TV.

Yeah, I mean, I was a bit nervous before. When we came onto the court, I was like, Okay, let's see what's going to happen. I didn't start well. I feel like I was so calm. I felt really good. So I was just trying to put every ball into the play.

Yeah, I'm just so happy that I could stay focused. It's very tough. People are cheering and everything. When it was 40-Love, I couldn't breathe. I just was thinking to myself, Just be over. I was like crazy nervous.

It was such a relief when I put the match point in.

Q. Obviously a win is quite the story, but your cat has also become a story. Have you checked in on him yet? Is he going to be getting any treats, maybe a friend?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Of course, I think I'm going to buy her some good fish (smiling). She's with the cat sitter now. My mom is coming tomorrow to watch her.

Yeah, she has to wait for us. I think she doesn't really care what's happening.

But, yeah, I'm going to buy her something good.

Q. What have been the biggest surprises to you about what's happened along the way and then today?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I think I just kept my nerves together, just stayed calm. Like in my head, I was really calm the whole match. I think the semis was more nervous than this final.

Yeah, I think everybody was surprised how calm I was. My coach told me after the final, he was like, I couldn't believe how calm you are.

Yeah, I think that was the main key to this title, that I just kept believing and kept calm when she broke me Love-2. I was just talking to myself, Just stay focused and keep it together.

Q. How were you able to do that?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I don't know (laughter). I don't really know. I feel like I just believed in my game since the tournament started. I just felt really good.

Yeah, I mean, I talked to myself a lot in the matches. I knew I was playing good, so I just tried to stay calm and keep it together.

Q. What did you say in the moment? A tough question, but if you had to, summarize this whole Wimbledon experience into one word or one phrase?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I would say 'crazy', for sure. As I said, I didn't play well before on grass. When we were coming here, I was like, Okay, just play without stress, just try to win couple of matches. Then this happened.

Yeah, I mean, it's unbelievable. I think nobody would have told you this before when we were coming here that I even have a chance to win. I was unseeded. I mean, it's such a crazy journey.

I can't believe it still.

Q. Did you feel differently coming into this final than you did into the Paris final? Can you talk about the different emotions, whether having played a Grand Slam final before gave you some knowledge ahead of this one?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so I was 19 the first final. I just remember it was such a stress. I just wanted to do well. It was a big thing in Czech. Everybody was talking about it.

I think she just crushed me. It was very fast match and I didn't even, like, enjoyed it. I was very sad after. I just told myself if this happens again, you have to enjoy every moment. Even though if I lose, I just have to enjoy.

I think even if I would have lose today, I think I was just enjoy this moment. It's such a big achievement. I just really enjoy this match today.

Q. What tattoo do you think you'll get, the design?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I don't know yet. But I'll show you guys on Instagram after (smiling).

Q. What do you think the person that decided to cancel your contract is thinking right now?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: I don't know. Yeah, we'll see what's going to happen. I'm just going to talk with my agents and we'll see what's going to happen.