Marketa Vondrousova triumphed over Ons Jabeur in straight sets to win the Wimbledon women’s singles final, capping off an enthralling fortnight of tennis on their side of the draw.
The Czech star used her combination of slice, spin and drop shots to triumph 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court in front of a crowd desperate to see Jabeur triumph after losing to Elena Rybakina in last year’s final. Jabeur described this match as “the most painful loss of my career” in her post-match interview after heading in as a heavy favourite against her unseeded opponent.
However, Vondrousova was too strong on a day where neither woman could reliably hold their serve and she became the first unseeded women’s singles champion in the open era after a storming run over the past fortnight in SW19.
On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz is through to his first Wimbledon final where he will try and stop Novak Djokovic from winning a fifth consecutive title on Sunday. Alcaraz brushed aside third seed Daniil Medvedev to set up a mouth-watering showpiece against Djokovic, who will bid to join Roger Federer by winning a men’s record eighth singles crown.
Follow live updates and results from day 13 of Wimbledon, below.
Wimbledon 2023 latest updates – women’s singles final
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Marketa Vondrousova beats Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon 2023 women’s singles final
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Vondrousova triumphs 6-4, 6-4 to claim her maiden grand slam title
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Carlos Alcaraz defeats Daniil Medvedev 6-3 6-3 6-3 to reach first Wimbledon men’s final
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Novak Djokovic sees off Jannik Sinner in straight sets to reach fifth straight final at SW19
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur
15:51 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur leaves Centre Court to more applause. She promised to come back and win the title.
“I want to say congratulations to Marketa and her team for this amazing tournament,” said the Tunisian in her post match interveiw, “You are an amazing player and I know you had a lot of injuries so I am very happy for you.
“I think this is the most painful loss of my career. It’s going to be a tough day for me today. I’m not going to give up. I’m going to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam one day.
“It was an amazing tournament for me. I wished I continued to the end. I want to thank my team for always believing in me. We are going to make it one day, I promise you.
“Thank you for coming, cheering for me, the energy is amazing from day one at Wimbledon. I appreciate your support. It’s been a tough journey but that’s tennis. I promise I will come back one day and win this tournament.”
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur
15:44 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova congratulates her opponent on a brilliant tournament before adding: “I was in a cast last year. This is crazy.”
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur
15:40 , Mike Jones
In her post match interview, Ons Jabeur calls this defeat ‘the most painful loss of my career’. She starts to break down in tears before regaining herself and congratulating her opponent on a well deserved victory.
Jabeur thanks the members of her team that helped her get this far before promising to come to Wimbledon even stronger and eventually win the tourament.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur
15:36 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur is still well loved at Wimbldeon. She is given a raucous ovation as she collects the runners-up trophy from the Princess of Wales.
Marketa Vondrousova is the first unseeded women’s champion at Wimbledon in the Open Era. She’s warmly applauded too and has a wide smile on her face when collecting the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur in straight sets to win Wimbledon championship
15:34 , Mike Jones
The winning moment:
Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur
15:33 , Kieran Jackson
Kieran Jackson on Centre Court
It’s hard to know what to say. Twice a beaten finalist for Ons Jabeur, whose painstaking wait for a Grand Slam goes on.
Today is Marketa Vondrousova’s moment. The crowd, ahead of the trophy ceremony, are in stunned silence.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur in straight sets to win Wimbledon championship
15:31 , Mike Jones
The unseeded Czech beat Jabeur 6-4 6-4 on Centre Court to triumph for the first time at Wimbledon.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:29 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 6-4 Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur is right up against the wall and needs to find a way through it. Marketa Vondrousova attacks Jabeur’s backhand and draws a coupe of errors from the Tunisian.
She moves 30-0 ahead and is forced to either side of the court. The Czech’s defence is brilliant, she gets the ball back in play and another mistake from Jabeur sends the ball long.
Vondrousova has three championship points.
She misses the first with a double fault. She doesn’t miss the second! A wonderful serve sees Jabeur loop the ball back, Vondrousova sets up a volley then smokes it home to win the game, the set and the match!
Marketa Vondrousova is the 2023 Women’s Singles Champion! What a performance from the Czech.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:24 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 5-4 Ons Jabeur
The noise level around Centre Court erupts when Ons Jabeur wins a point but there’s an intake of breath and smattering of applause when she errs by finding the net and putting Vondrousova ahead.
A miscue from the Czech keeps Jabeur alive at 30-30 but Jabeur then pushes one wide and leaves Vondrousova with a break point. Jabeur misses her first serve then pings a forehand into the net.
Vondrousova breaks and will serve to win the match and the championship!
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:21 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 4-4 Ons Jabeur*
Ruthlessly efficient from Marketa Vondrousova. She eases any pressure with a brilliant hold of serve to 15 and draws level once more in the second set.
This next game is a big one. Ons Jabeur needs to hold.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:18 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 3-4 Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur will be so frustrated with herself. So often in this match she’s been in positions of control and let the points slip by with loose shots.
She seems to be struggling to get to her top level – which is testament to how well Marketa Vondrousova is executing her own gameplan – but there’s a resolve to the Tunisian to keep at it.
From 15-30 down, Jabeur goes on to hold and keep herself in front in the second set.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:15 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 3-3 Ons Jabeur*
Here we go.
Marketa Vondrousova gets one to clip the top of the net but Jabeur gets up to the drop shot and dinks it back. When the return comes Jabeur volleys the ball into play to get back to 30-30 but then misses her line in the next rally to give Vondrousova the chance to see out the game.
She does.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:10 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 2-3 Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur looks to be finding her rhythm again. After slipping 0-30 behind against her own serve, she goes for a difficult backhand down the line and manages to get it in play.
Vondrousova then finds the net and Jabeur is back on level terms. The Czech manages to control the next rally though before earning the win with a wonderful forehand to the back corner that beats Jabeur for pace.
Jabeur goes long in the crucial next rally and Vondrousova breaks back! What a match this is.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:07 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 1-3 Ons Jabeur*
At 15-15, Vondrousova knocks a forehand over wide of the singles line to put Jabeur ahead in the game. The Tunisian then decides to send over a drop shot but the Czech sprints up to the ball and whips a cross court winner past Jabeur to bring the game level.
For every brilliant shot she plays though, Vondrousova makes an error which sets up Jabeur with a break point. Jabeur peppers the baseline and Vondrousova punts her next shot over the back!
Jabeur breaks.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:01 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 1-2 Ons Jabeur
The crowd are doing their part too. They’re giving it their all when Ons Jabeur takes a point as they want to see this match go on as long as possible.
Jabeur is starting to recover some of her lost confidence and she holds serve to love. This final is alive again.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
15:00 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 1-1 Ons Jabeur*
Jabeur uses her power, and patience, to set up another break point. This time the two trade blows at the net with volleys and lobs. Jabuer takes the point with a backhand winner and immediately breaks back!
The Tunisian will feel a whole heap better now. What a comeback.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:58 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 1-0 Ons Jabeur
Vondrousova has found her range too. Her serve out to Jabeur’s backhand is right on the line and she follows up with an equally accurate forehand winner to the baseline corner.
The Czech is swiftly up to 40-0 but punts a backhand out of play to give a point back to Jabeur. The Tunisian is the one on the backfoot now and stays in the contest with a great backhand that she drills across court. Vondrousova is up at the net so the ball flies past.
Jabeur forces the game to deuce and cracks start to show in Vondrousova’s serve. A double fault puts Jabeur at break point, but she can’t get a backhand return of serve over the net.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:54 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 1-0 Ons Jabeur
Jabeur’s losing streak goes on as she pumps one into the net before drilling a backhand out of play trying to get down the line. Every point Jabeur loses from here will increase the pressure on her and she needs to hold serve in this game.
The next two points bring her some joy and she’s back level at 30-30.
Jabeur sets up with a couple of forehands across court but when she switches to go down the line she belts the ball wide. Marketa Vondrousova earns a break point and takes it!
A miscued effort from Jabeur finds the net and the Czech is in front.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:49 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 Ons Jabeur*
Ons Jabeur heads off court for a break and a reset. She was the better player in the first half of that set but Marketa Vondrousova stuck in there and turned up the heat.
Jabeur won just one point in those last four games.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:47 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 6-4 Ons Jabeur*
Ons Jabeur has spoken about how hard she’s worked on the mental side of professional tennis and she’ll need to dig into those reserves here. Two bad games have her behind in the match and she needs to make a comeback.
Vondrousova is on point behind her serve now too so things will only increase in difficulty. Two unforced errors from Jabeur help Vondrousova to three set points.
She needs one. Marketa Vondrousova takes the first set 6-4. Wonderful stuff from the Czech.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:45 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 5-4 Ons Jabeur
One area of weakness for Jabeur today has been her inability to land the first serve. She’s fighting through rallies when Vondrousova takes on the second serve and her delicacy and accuracy is keeping her interested.
Vondrousova is dogged though. She’s employing slices to good effect and earns a couple of break points when Jabeur misses out on a couple of overhead smashes.
The Tunisian then pelts a backhand into the net and Vondrousova takes the break! She’ll be serving to win the first set.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:42 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 4-4 Ons Jabeur*
What can Marketa Vondrousova do here? Everyone of her service games has been attacked by Ons Jabeur who takes the early lead in this one too.
A return of serve from Jabeur goes long to bring Vondrousova back into the contest with the Czech mullering a couple of heavy forehands to either sides of the court before earning a winner with a volley from the net. 30-15.
Jabeur misses another two returns of serve and the game goes to Vondrousova. All square in this first set.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:39 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 3-4 Ons Jabeur
The last time, Jabeur earned a break of serve, Vondrousova immediately broke back. The Czech takes the first two points of the next game and piles the pressure on Jabeur’s shoulders.
She’s not up to the task when a drop shot from the Tunisian brings Vondrousova up the net. The Czech smokes the winner down the line and breaks Jabeur for a second time in the match.
That’s another sign of Vondrousova giving this match everything. She’s holding up well against Jabeur’s momentum.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:36 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 2-4 Ons Jabeur*
The way this match has developed so far, Ons Jabeur could easily have been 5-0 up by this point. The determinism from Marketa Vondrousova to stay in games and grind out points has been brilliant.
She’s on the back foot again here though as Jabeur goes 0-40 in front and has at least three chances to break. Jabeur needs only one when a whipped forehand from Vondrousova is pumped over the back of court!
It’s a break for the Tunisian.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:33 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 2-3 Ons Jabeur
The shot that lost Ons Jabeur the last game brings her a point here. A backhand cross court drop shot draws Marketa Vondrousova up to the net and the Czech dinks the ball into the net.
Jabeur swiftly moves 40-0 ahead but Vondrousova gets on the board with a wonderfully push down the line after sprinting up to meet a drop shot.
Hold of serve! Jabeur moves back in front.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:30 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 2-2 Ons Jabeur*
The game goes to a third deuce after Ons Jabeur fails to twice get over the line at break point. Another loose forehand gives the Tunisian another attempt but Marketa Vondrousova has been brilliant at saving these points. She does so again with a wonderful first serve.
The next rally sees Vondrousova sprint up to the net and win the point with a backhand volley. Jabeur gives the game away with a misplaced backhand slice and Vondrousova holds!
That’s a massive moment for the Czech. She saved four break points in that game.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:26 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 1-2 Ons Jabeur
This has been a great final already. Both players look evenly matched, both are making mistakes and both have pulled off some beautiful winners.
Ons Jabeur stormed to a break of serve in Vondrousova’s first service game. Can the Czech hold here?
They trade blows and each pick up a point from the first two rallies. A backhand slice from Vondrousova then sets up Jabeur for a cross court winner but she smokes it into the net to put the Czech ahead.
The next rally is a belter. Lots of slices, lots of spin but it’s won by Jabeur with a blinding backhand down the line. 30-30.
Jabeur has another break point thanks to a powerful cross court forehand, Vondrousova gets to the ball but slices it into the net trying to keep the rally alive.
Break point saved! Vondrousova slices a drop shot over the net which Jabeur gets to, she looks for a drop shot winner of her own but knocks it into the top of the net instead!
Deuce.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:21 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 1-2 Ons Jabeur
A backhand slice from Jabeur takes her into the lead in her next service game before she miscues a cross court forehand and smokes the effort over the back.
A body serve (on her second serve) is good enough for Jabeur to get back into the lead before Vondrousova pings a forehand into the net. The Czech just hasn’t found her range with that cross court shot yet.
She’s not going away though. Jabeur tries to go down the line with a backhand and clips the top of the tape with an unforced error before a driving forehand from Vondrousova brings the game to deuce.
Vondrousova plants herself in the middle of the baseline and works Jabeur left-to-right with a mix of backhands and forehands. She sets up a break point of her own but Jabeur controls the next rally and saves the point with a forehand volley.
Break! Jabeur isn’t able to hammer hold her advantage and Vondrousova immediately breaks back.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:14 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 0-2 Ons Jabeur*
Ons Jabeur would seemingly be the heavier hitter of the two finalists but both players prefer to place the ball and focus on accuracy. This should be more of a tactical affair than a slug fest from the baseline.
Jabeur wins a point with a guided overhead smash before a well placed drop shot sets up two break points.
Vondrousova saves the first one with a fine ace but then drills a forehand into the net and is down a break early on in this final!
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:11 , Mike Jones
*Marketa Vondrousova 0-1 Ons Jabeur
Vondrousova is making Jabeur work in this opening match. She squeezes ahead to 15-30 and is trying to finesse her way through the rallies.
The Czech is pushed into the right corner of the court where a powerful shot from Jabeur forces Vondrousova to flick a backhand over the net. It bounces just over and Jabeur drops a cross court backhand to win the point.
At 30-30, Jabeur powers through the next two points and holds serve for the first game.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:08 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova 0-0 Ons Jabeur*
Ons Jabeur has the first serve of this final. She targets Marketa Vondrousova’s forehand and draws the Czech into a nice rally.
Jabeur comes up to the hit after hitting one to the baseline but Vondrousova is savvy enough to lob the ball over the Tunisian. It lands in play and gives her the opening point of the match.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:03 , Kieran Jackson
Kieran Jackson on Centre Court
The roof very firmly closed on Centre, what with the heavy winds outside and the likelihood of rain this afternoon.
Both players receive a terrific reception, perhaps a tad louder than a few minutes earlier with the applause for the Princess of Wales.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
14:00 , Mike Jones
Here come the competitors.
Ons Jabeur will be the crowd favourite on Centre today due to her happy and fun-loving personality. On top of that, the Tunisian is a very good tennis player and has a wonderful chance of becoming a Wimbledon champion today.
Marketa Vondrousova has flown under the radar, she was unseeded before the start of the tourament and has no sponsers. The Czech is a steadfast left-hander and will give everything to get over the line.
This final should be a belter.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
13:55 , Mike Jones
The roof is closed over Centre Court as the weather has been forecast to be pretty wet. The sun is shining over Wimbledon though and the officials may risk opening it up before play starts.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
13:51 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur can make history
The popular Tunisian will be hoping that her third final in a Grand Slam finally falls her way as she aims to become the first African or Arab woman to win a major singles title.
“Hopefully, I can make history not just for Tunisia but for Africa,” she said in the build-up to today’s final.
Wimbledon LIVE: Marketa Vondrousova vs Ons Jabeur
13:48 , Mike Jones
The Women’s Singles final kicks off at 2pm and the two players who will be competing for the title are expected on court very soon. Here they are going through a few last minute warm-ups but who will be crowned Wimbledon champion?
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
13:45 , Mike Jones
The narrative of revenge is a prickly one among the majority of sporting athletes. Most, when questioned on whether payback is at the forefront of their minds ahead of a rematch of some sort, downplay it, instead opting to shine the spotlight simply on their own performance. So, the saying goes, results will follow.
But not Ons Jabeur. Contrary to shying away from it, the Tunisian chasing redemption at Wimbledon after an agonising near-miss last year has instead embraced the concept of revenge and used it as her primary motivator this SW19 fortnight. As she was asked after her gutsy, crowd-inspired victory against Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, what type of match are you expecting in the final against Marketa Vondrousova?
“I’m going for my revenge,” she stated, in no uncertain terms. “I didn’t win against her this year.”
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
Jabeur on reaching Wimbledon final
13:40 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur says when it comes to the Wimbledon final, it makes no difference whether you are facing a major champion or not.
“I think a final is a final,” Jabeur said. “Whoever could handle more the emotions, whoever could be more ready on the court, will definitely win that match.”
Jabeur’s run to another major final has come in a stop-start season where she has been hampered by injury and had minor knee surgery.
“[The injuries] teach me how to be very patient and accept whatever happened to me … because it was out of my control,” she added,
“I mean, if you tell me you [would] get injured and be in the final of Wimbledon, I would take it.”
Ons Jabeur favourite to win Wimbledon
13:35 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur is the 4/9 odds-on favourite to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon this afternoon according to Betfair.
Latest odds for Wimbledon women’s final winner:
Marketa Vondrousova: 7/4
Ons Jabeur: 4/9
Jabeur was the victor in the only head-to-head match that these two have played on a grass court. Vondrousova though has twice beaten Jabeur this season and will be relatively confident of claiming another win on the biggest of stages.
Ons Jabeur vs Marketa Vondrousova
13:30 , Mike Jones
Who will triumph in the Wimbledon women’s singles?
Marketa Vondrousova is the underdog but has the better head-to-head record against Ons Jabeur this year. She’s beaten the Tunisian twice – once at Indian Wells in straight-sets and once in three sets at the Australian Open in January.
However, Jabeur has won their only meeting on grass though, at Eastbourne two years ago.
Strangely the two were set to meet the same venure at just a few weeks ago, before Vondrousova withdrew. Was fate playing its part to set up this clash for the Wimbledon final?
Can Marketa Vondrousova claim a first grand slam victory?
13:20 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova is at a distinct advantage in today’s final as she goes into the match as the underdog though her performances don’t seem to make that the case.
She has previous experience of making a grand slam final and flew to the 2019 French Open final without dropping a set – beating Britain’s Jo Konta in the semis – before Ash Barty knocker her away at the last hurdle.
At the time Vondrousova was 19 and, four years later, she believes that losing in 2019 will have prepared her for today’s encounter against Ons Jabeur.
“I think it can definitely help in tough moments,” the 24-year-old said, “I’ve been through it. Once I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then. Definitely it can help.”
Where to watch Wimbledon 2023: TV channel guide and schedule
13:10 , Mike Jones
The Wimbledon men’s and women’s finals will take place on the weekend of 15 and 16 July.
As is tradition, the women’s final will be played on Saturday 15 July and the men’s final on Sunday 16 July.
Both matches will start at 2pm BST (9am ET).
Wimbledon will be shown on the BBC in the UK, with full coverage of the tournament available to watch on BBC One, BBC Two and across the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
Novak Djokovic hungry for more after setting up ‘the best final we could have’
13:00 , Mike Jones
Novak Djokovic is looking forward to a “feast” of a Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz after overcoming spats with the umpire and the crowd in a straight-sets victory over Jannik Sinner.
The end of the fortnight will see the contest that was widely predicted at the start, with the world’s two best players fighting it out for the trophy.
Djokovic is making history with virtually every victory and a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) win against Sinner in his record-equalling 46th grand slam semi-final earned him a record-breaking 35th final, taking him past American great Chris Evert.
Novak Djokovic hungry for more after setting up ‘the best final we could have’
All you can do is laugh as Carlos Alcaraz bends tennis reality again at Wimbledon
12:50 , Mike Jones
Up above, there was the relentless lashing of rain, beating onto the Centre Court roof. Across the net, there was the consistent “UH-HOH!” of Carlos Alcaraz, soundtracking his own shots. All the while, Daniil Medvedev was silent.
He was silent when Alcaraz held serve to love in the very first game. He was silent when Alcaraz let his drop shot off the leash, beating the Russian three times in one game with that signature weapon. He was silent when the Spaniard broke and then held serve to win the first set, and he was silent as the crowd laughed along in disbelief at the stupefying feats before them.
All you can do is laugh as Carlos Alcaraz bends tennis reality again
Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair
12:40 , Mike Jones
Oh, how a tennis match can swing. So silent earlier in the day as Elina Svitolina’s hopes collapsed in front of their eyes, the Centre Court crowd came alive as they looked to revive Ons Jabeur’s Wimbledon dream. And ultimately, all it took was one customary cackle.
The Tunisian, who once more has become the story of the SW19 fortnight, needed a spark out of nothing. Down – but not out – against world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s finalist was the wrong side of a set and a break and staring down the barrel once more. But at deuce, Sabalenka serving at 4-3 up in the second set, Jabeur received her goblet of liquid luck.
Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair
Ons Jabeur targets Wimbledon triumph
12:30 , Mike Jones
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur reached the final at Wimbledon last year before being beaten to the women’s singles title by Elena Rybakina. That defeat has made the 28-year-old more determined this time around to get over the line and win the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Petra Kvitova, a two-time champion at SW19, was the first to fall in Jabeur’s revenge tour, then it was Rybakina herself as Jabeur and finally Aryna Sabalenka who knocked out the African in 2021. All put up fights of some kind, all were swept aside.
That leaves Marketa Vondrousova. When asked what type of match are she is expecting in the final against the Czech, Jabeur replied:
“I’m going for my revenge, I didn’t win against her this year.”
She added: “I’m working on myself like crazy. You have no idea what I’m doing. Every time there is something, I’m very tough with myself, try to improve everything. For me, I always believed in mental, in working on it.
“That’s what I’ve been doing for the past years since I was maybe 10 years old because I know if you are not ready physically, mentally, you can always win.
“That’s probably what happened in the last two matches.”
How has Marketa Vondrousova reached the final?
12:20 , Mike Jones
With style at first, beating her first three opponents in straight sets. Then came a tight match against Czech No 1 Marie Bouzkova, before another battling quarter-final win over the American Jessica Pegula. Her victory over Elina Svitolina was dominant, and full of style.
Wimbledon is a place which tends to favour big servers who can use the fast surface to kill points quickly and hold serve, game after game.
However, Vondrousova has served consistently well through the rounds and her returning talents have forced opponents into rallying for points they might have won cheaply against other players.
How do you solve a problem like Marketa?
12:10 , Mike Jones
If someone other than Marketa Vondrousova is to win Wimbledon on Saturday, they will first have to figure out how to win a tennis match while putting themselves through the mental and physical misery of playing Marketa Vondrousova.
Each time Elina Svitolina returned to her seat she looked a little more perplexed, more drained. With each passing game the left-handed Vondrousova made herself increasingly awkward to face, putting comical spin on her backhand slice, picking obscure angles and covering the court so nimbly that there was no safe space for Svitolina to find, no easy way out.
The looping top-spin on Vondrousova’s forehand refused to slot into Svitolina’s hitting arc. Drop shots would appear unannounced. It made the Ukrainian wonder: do I stand on my heels to receive a deep, bouncing groundstroke, or stay on my toes to anticipate the drop? It was a question she could never fully answer.
How do you solve a problem like Marketa? Vondrousova is a Wimbledon final riddle
Which players are through to the Wimbledon 2023 final?
12:00 , Mike Jones
Carlos Alcaraz is through to his first Wimbledon final where he will try and stop Novak Djokovic from winning a fifth consecutive title on Sunday.
On the women’s side, Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova will contest the Wimbledon singles final after coming through enthralling semi-finals at the All England Club.
Who is in the Wimbledon final?
Ons Jabeur: Wimbledon 2023 finalist in profile
11:50 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur is competing later today in her second straight Wimbledon final after beating world number two Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling semi-final on Thursday.
The Tunisian takes on Marketa Vondrousova in the final on Centre Court – both are chasing their first Grand Slam singles title.
But, who exactly is Ons Jabeur?
Wimbledon 2023 finalist Ons Jabeur in profile
Marketa Vondrousova: Wimbledon 2023 finalist in profile
11:40 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova has made it to the final of Wimbledon 2023 after knocking out Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals on Centre Court. She will take on Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur on Saturday, as both women aim to win their first Wimbledon title.
But, who exactly is Marketa Vondrousova?
Wimbledon 2023 finalist Marketa Vondrousova in profile
Marketa Vondrousova, Wimbledon champion?
11:30 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova has come through tough tests in her previous two rounds. She defeated American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals before a two-set win over Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
She is the latest Czech female tennis player to reach a Grand Slam final, with nine major women’s singles finals in the last 10 years – including Saturday’s match – featuring players from the country.
“When it was clay or hard, maybe I would say, yeah maybe it’s possible,” said Vondrousova, who notes that grass is not her favourite type of court to play on.
“But grass was impossible for me. It’s even crazier that this is happening.”
Is her story fated to end in glory on Centre Court this afternoon? On more match, against Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, will decide if she leaves SW19 today as the new Wimbledon Champion.
It would be a shock result to say the least.
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
11:20 , Mike Jones
The narrative of revenge is a prickly one among the majority of sporting athletes. Most, when questioned on whether payback is at the forefront of their minds ahead of a rematch of some sort, downplay it, instead opting to shine the spotlight simply on their own performance. So, the saying goes, results will follow.
But not Ons Jabeur. Contrary to shying away from it, the Tunisian chasing redemption at Wimbledon after an agonising near-miss last year has instead embraced the concept of revenge and used it as her primary motivator this SW19 fortnight. As she was asked after her gutsy, crowd-inspired victory against Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, what type of match are you expecting in the final against Marketa Vondrousova?
“I’m going for my revenge,” she stated, in no uncertain terms. “I didn’t win against her this year.”
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
Novak Djokovic’s clash with Wimbledon fans and umpire adds tension to the inevitable
11:10 , Mike Jones
Novak Djokovic’s inevitable march to the Wimbledon final was only met by the briefest of interruptions. Unfortunately for Jannik Sinner, it didn’t come from him. Despite the young Italian’s spirit and fine shot-making, Djokovic’s grip on this semi-final was unrelenting, absorbing the power of one of the biggest hitters in the game and closing out a dominant 6-3 6-4 7-6 win that was only complicated by a couple of difficult moments – namely from the chair umpire, Richard Haigh, and some pockets of the Centre Court crowd.
Carlos Alcaraz, through after beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, will need to offer more resistance than Sinner managed here, as well as doing a far better job of taking his chances when the two best players in the world meet in Sunday’s final. It’s a dream final, with all the ingredients for a classic. Djokovic, though, is playing better than ever. “36 is the new 26,” he smiled, once the tension had subsided.
Novak Djokovic’s clash with Wimbledon fans and umpire adds tension to the inevitable
Jabeur on reaching Wimbledon final
11:00 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur says when it comes to the Wimbledon final, it makes no difference whether you are facing a major champion or not.
“I think a final is a final,” Jabeur said. “Whoever could handle more the emotions, whoever could be more ready on the court, will definitely win that match.”
Jabeur’s run to another major final has come in a stop-start season where she has been hampered by injury and had minor knee surgery.
“[The injuries] teach me how to be very patient and accept whatever happened to me … because it was out of my control,” she added,
“I mean, if you tell me you [would] get injured and be in the final of Wimbledon, I would take it.”
‘It gets too much’: Elina Svitolina breaks down in intense Wimbledon spotlight
10:50 , Mike Jones
During an intense two weeks, the tennis court became Elina Svitolina’s sanctuary from outside noise. Her simple stand of refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players took on heightened scrutiny at Wimbledon, a place where etiquette is sacred. The spotlight brought with it relentless questions, and an insatiable lust for her emotions.
Soldiers are dying on the front line, what’s your message for them? The UK is supporting Ukraine, what’s your message for us? Harry Styles has offered you tickets to his concert, what’s your message for him?
Here on Thursday, after a bruising semi-final defeat by Marketa Vondrousova, who pulled her all over the court with a tormenting array of spinning slices, deep groundstrokes and disguised drop shots, Svitolina broke down.
Elina Svitolina breaks down in Wimbledon spotlight: ‘It gets too much’
When is the Wimbledon women’s final?
10:40 , Mike Jones
Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova will go head to head in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon this weekend, capping off an enthralling fortnight of tennis on their side of the draw.
Jabeur avenged her 2022 final defeat by overcoming Elena Rybakina in three sets in the semi-finals, having thrashed two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals. For the Tunisian, 28, the impending final also offers a chance to make up for a grand-slam final defeat at the US Open last year.
Meanwhile, Czech Vondrousova ended the fairytale run of Elina Svitolina, breezing past the Ukrainian in the semi-finals after beating fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the last eight. The 24-year-old was runner-up at the French Open in 2019, in her only previous major final, so she will share Jabeur’s aim of banishing ghosts on a stage of this size.
When is the Wimbledon women’s final?
Wimbledon prize money: How much players earn by round in 2023
10:30 , Mike Jones
The total prize money for this year’s Wimbledon across the men’s and women’s singles tournaments is up to a record £32,154,000.
It represents an increase of 10.9 per cent from 2022 and the total amount will be split equally across the men’s and women’s tournaments.
The winners of the men’s and women’s singles will take home a record £2.35m, which is an increase of 17.5 per cent on what Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina won in 2022.
Wimbledon 2023 prize money: How much do individual and doubles players earn by round?
Where to watch Wimbledon 2023: TV channel guide and schedule
10:20 , Mike Jones
The Wimbledon men’s and women’s finals will take place on the weekend of 15 and 16 July.
As is tradition, the women’s final will be played on Saturday 15 July and the men’s final on Sunday 16 July.
Both matches will start at 2pm BST (9am ET).
Wimbledon will be shown on the BBC in the UK, with full coverage of the tournament available to watch on BBC One, BBC Two and across the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
Ons Jabeur vs Marketa Vondrousova
10:10 , Mike Jones
Who will triumph in the Wimbledon women’s singles?
Marketa Vondrousova is the underdog but has the better head-to-head record against Ons Jabeur this year. She’s beaten the Tunisian twice – once at Indian Wells in straight-sets and once in three sets at the Australian Open in January.
However, Jabeur has won their only meeting on grass though, at Eastbourne two years ago.
Strangely the two were set to meet the same venure at just a few weeks ago, before Vondrousova withdrew. Was fate playing its part to set up this clash for the Wimbledon final?
Can Marketa Vondrousova claim a first grand slam victory?
10:00 , Mike Jones
Marketa Vondrousova is at a distinct advantage in today’s final as she goes into the match as the underdog though her performances don’t seem to make that the case.
She has previous experience of making a grand slam final and flew to the 2019 French Open final without dropping a set – beating Britain’s Jo Konta in the semis – before Ash Barty knocker her away at the last hurdle.
At the time Vondrousova was 19 and, four years later, she believes that losing in 2019 will have prepared her for today’s encounter against Ons Jabeur.
“I think it can definitely help in tough moments,” the 24-year-old said, “I’ve been through it. Once I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then. Definitely it can help.”
Ons Jabeur targets Wimbledon triumph
09:50 , Mike Jones
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur reached the final at Wimbledon last year before being beaten to the women’s singles title by Elena Rybakina. That defeat has made the 28-year-old more determined this time around to get over the line and win the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Petra Kvitova, a two-time champion at SW19, was the first to fall in Jabeur’s revenge tour, then it was Rybakina herself as Jabeur and finally Aryna Sabalenka who knocked out the African in 2021. All put up fights of some kind, all were swept aside.
That leaves Marketa Vondrousova. When asked what type of match are she is expecting in the final against the Czech, Jabeur replied:
“I’m going for my revenge, I didn’t win against her this year.”
She added: “I’m working on myself like crazy. You have no idea what I’m doing. Every time there is something, I’m very tough with myself, try to improve everything. For me, I always believed in mental, in working on it.
“That’s what I’ve been doing for the past years since I was maybe 10 years old because I know if you are not ready physically, mentally, you can always win.
“That’s probably what happened in the last two matches.”
Wimbledon 2023: Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair
09:40 , Luke Baker
Oh, how a tennis match can swing. So silent earlier in the day as Elina Svitolina’s hopes collapsed in front of their eyes, the Centre Court crowd came alive as they looked to revive Ons Jabeur’s Wimbledon dream. And ultimately, all it took was one customary cackle.
The Tunisian, who once more has become the story of the SW19 fortnight, needed a spark out of nothing. Down – but not out – against world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s finalist was the wrong side of a set and a break and staring down the barrel once more. But at deuce, Sabalenka serving at 4-3 up in the second set, Jabeur received her goblet of liquid luck.
By Kieran Jackson at Wimbledon
Ons Jabeur and a Centre Court love affair
Wimbledon 2023: How do you solve a problem like Marketa?
09:20 , Luke Baker
If someone other than Marketa Vondrousova is to win Wimbledon on Saturday, they will first have to figure out how to win a tennis match while putting themselves through the mental and physical misery of playing Marketa Vondrousova.
Each time Elina Svitolina returned to her seat she looked a little more perplexed, more drained. With each passing game the left-handed Vondrousova made herself increasingly awkward to face, putting comical spin on her backhand slice, picking obscure angles and covering the court so nimbly that there was no safe space for Svitolina to find, no easy way out.
The looping top-spin on Vondrousova’s forehand refused to slot into Svitolina’s hitting arc. Drop shots would appear unannounced. It made the Ukrainian wonder: do I stand on my heels to receive a deep, bouncing groundstroke, or stay on my toes to anticipate the drop? It was a question she could never fully answer.
By Lawrence Ostlere at Wimbledon
How do you solve a problem like Marketa? Vondrousova is a Wimbledon final riddle
All you can do is laugh as Carlos Alcaraz bends tennis reality again at Wimbledon
09:05 , Luke Baker
Up above, there was the relentless lashing of rain, beating onto the Centre Court roof. Across the net, there was the consistent “UH-HOH!” of Carlos Alcaraz, soundtracking his own shots. All the while, Daniil Medvedev was silent.
He was silent when Alcaraz held serve to love in the very first game. He was silent when Alcaraz let his drop shot off the leash, beating the Russian three times in one game with that signature weapon. He was silent when the Spaniard broke and then held serve to win the first set, and he was silent as the crowd laughed along in disbelief at the stupefying feats before them.
All you can do is laugh as Carlos Alcaraz bends tennis reality again
Novak Djokovic’s clash with Wimbledon fans and umpire adds tension to the inevitable
08:47 , Luke Baker
Novak Djokovic’s inevitable march to the Wimbledon final was only met by the briefest of interruptions. Unfortunately for Jannik Sinner, it didn’t come from him. Despite the young Italian’s spirit and fine shot-making, Djokovic’s grip on this semi-final was unrelenting, absorbing the power of one of the biggest hitters in the game and closing out a dominant 6-3 6-4 7-6 win that was only complicated by a couple of difficult moments – namely from the chair umpire, Richard Haigh, and some pockets of the Centre Court crowd.
Carlos Alcaraz, through after beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, will need to offer more resistance than Sinner managed here, as well as doing a far better job of taking his chances when the two best players in the world meet in Sunday’s final. It’s a dream final, with all the ingredients for a classic. Djokovic, though, is playing better than ever. “36 is the new 26,” he smiled, once the tension had subsided.
And for a while, the tension had been high.
Novak Djokovic’s clash with Wimbledon fans and umpire adds tension to the inevitable
When is the Wimbledon women’s final?
08:28 , Luke Baker
Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova will go head to head in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon this weekend, capping off an enthralling fortnight of tennis on their side of the draw.
Jabeur avenged her 2022 final defeat by overcoming Elena Rybakina in three sets in the semi-finals, having thrashed two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals. For the Tunisian, 28, the impending final also offers a chance to make up for a grand-slam final defeat at the US Open last year.
Meanwhile, Czech Vondrousova ended the fairytale run of Elina Svitolina, breezing past the Ukrainian in the semi-finals after beating fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the last eight. The 24-year-old was runner-up at the French Open in 2019, in her only previous major final, so she will share Jabeur’s aim of banishing ghosts on a stage of this size.
When is the Wimbledon women’s final?
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
08:27 , Luke Baker
The narrative of revenge is a prickly one among the majority of sporting athletes. Most, when questioned on whether payback is at the forefront of their minds ahead of a rematch of some sort, downplay it, instead opting to shine the spotlight simply on their own performance. So, the saying goes, results will follow.
But not Ons Jabeur. Contrary to shying away from it, the Tunisian chasing redemption at Wimbledon after an agonising near-miss last year has instead embraced the concept of revenge and used it as her primary motivator this SW19 fortnight. As she was asked after her gutsy, crowd-inspired victory against Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, what type of match are you expecting in the final against Marketa Vondrousova?
“I’m going for my revenge,” she stated, in no uncertain terms. “I didn’t win against her this year.”
Preview by Kieran Jackson
Ons Jabeur eyeing ultimate revenge in Wimbledon final against Marketa Vondrousova
Wimbledon 2023 – women’s final
08:26 , Luke Baker
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Wimbledon’s penultimate day. Today, the All England Club sees the women’s singles final and it’s set to be a thriller as Ons Jabeur faces Marketa Vondrousova with both seeking a first grand slam title.
