Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title, defeating world No. 6 Ons Jabeur in straight sets Saturday.

The 24-year-old from Czech Republic entered the 2023 tournament ranked No. 42 in the world, but she looked dominant in the final matches of her run to the Grand Slam title. She defeated Jabeur, 6-4, 6-4, in the championship, after beating Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinal round.

“I don’t know what is happening… After everything I have been through, it is amazing I can stand here and hold this,” she said after her win, referring to the Wimbledon trophy. “Tennis is crazy. The comebacks aren’t easy you don’t know what to expect, I was hoping I could get back to this level and now this is happening.”

As a junior, Vondrousova claimed the world No. 1 ranking. And after her transition to the senior tour, she reached the French Open final as a 19-year-old in 2019. But injuries disrupted her ascent, and she did not reach another Grand Slam final until this year’s Wimbledon. She has not made it past the fourth round at the US Open or at the Australian Open.

“I‘ve been through it,” she said after her semifinal win against Svitolina. “Once I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then.”

Before her win against Jabeur, she made a bet with her coach: If she won the title, he would get a tattoo to commemorate the occasion, she said.

“I think we are going to go tomorrow,” she said Saturday. “I think I am going to have some beer. It was an exhausting few weeks.”

Despite the tiring run through the tournament, she has plenty to celebrate, and not just on the court. Her first wedding anniversary is tomorrow.

“I enjoyed the two weeks so much,” she said. “I am so grateful and proud of myself.”

Wimbledon is finally here, with a number of stars descending upon the British major. 

When is it?

The first round is July 3rd and 4th. The second round on July 5th and 6th. The third round on July 7th and 8th. All three rounds will air on ESPN and ESPN+ and start at 6 a.m., with the exception of July 8th’s round, which will also air on ESPN/ESPN+ starting at 8 a.m. and ABC at 1 p.m.

From there, the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will take place from July 9 through the 16th.

Round of 16:

  • July 9th @ 8 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN+, 1 p.m. on ABC
  • July 10th @ 6 a.m. on ESPN2, ESPN+, 8 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN+

Quarterfinals:

  • July 11 @ 8 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+

Semifinals:

  • July 13 @ 9 a.m. on ESPN

Final:

  • July 15 @  8 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN+

Doubles Final:

  • July 16 @ 8 a.m. on ESPN, ESPN+

*All times ET

Players to watch:

Venus Williams

Venus Williams will make her 24th appearance at Wimbledon, marking the most ever by a female tennis player in the main draw. She’s won the tournament five times, and recently won her second match in two years at the Birmingham Classic. While Williams hasn’t been at her best for awhile, she’s never one to count out at the grass-court tournament.

Coco Gauff

American teen phenom Coco Gauff is still looking for her first major win after a finals appearance at Roland Garros last year. Her best finish at Wimbledon is the fourth round, although sh reached the semifinal of the Eastbourne International tournament before being upended by fellow American Madison Keys. She dispatched Jessica Pegula in straight sets, however, and has had moments of brilliance this season.

Iga Swiatek

Swiatek already has one major under her belt this season, with Wimbledon being one of two majors she has yet to win. Wimbledon might be the tournament that she has done the worst in – and that’s not saying much, with her highest-ever finish a fourth-round exit. The rest of the majors she’s either made the semifinals, or won it. The world No. 1 holds an easy dominance over her opponents, and is always in the Grand Slam conversation. 

Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka won the Australian Open in January for her maiden Slam win. Since then she’s been on a tear, nearly taking over the world No. 1 ranking from Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros with a semifinal appearance before Swiatek won the major. Swiatek is no stranger to Wimbledon, having made the semifinals in 2021, and wasn’t able to play last year due to Wimbledon’s ban of Belarusian and Russian players. Look for Sabalneka to make a dominant return.

Venus Williams will make her 24th appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon in 2023 after she received a wild-card entry to the tournament Wednesday.

A five-time singles champion at Wimbledon, she last reached the finals of the grass-court major in 2017. The 43-year-old made her Wimbledon debut in 1997.

On Monday, Williams earned just her second win in nearly as many years — as well as her first win over a player in the top 50 in nearly four years — as she beat 48th-ranked Camila Giorgi at the Birmingham Classic in England. The win also ended a 12-match losing streak.

She’ll next play Jelena Ostapenko in the round of 16. The second-ranked player in the tournament, Ostapenko is currently ranked No. 17 in the world and made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year.

Ahead of their match, Ostapenko called Williams “a great champion.”

“It’s amazing to share the court with her. I have nothing to lose. I will just try to play my best and I hope you guys will enjoy the match,” Ostapenko said.

The two have gone head-to-head just twice before, back in 2017 at Wimbledon and at the WTA Finals in Singapore, with Williams winning both of their previous matches.

The grass-court Birmingham Classic serves as a tune-up for Wimbledon, which begins on July 3.

Also receiving wild-card entries to the major were Elina Svitolina, Heather Watson and Katie Boulter. Svitolina is fresh off a quarterfinal run at the French Open but lost her opening round match at Birmingham earlier this week.