Marketa Vondrousova Wins Berlin Open After Injury Comeback

BERLIN, Germany — Marketa Vondrousova made a remarkable return to competitive tennis, winning the Berlin Tennis Open on Sunday after a long battle with injuries. The former Wimbledon champion triumphed over China’s Wang Xinyu with a score of 7-6(10), 4-6, 6-2, marking Vondrousova’s first title since her Wimbledon victory two years ago.

The match was held in challenging conditions, with the sun shining down in Berlin. Vondrousova, who came into the tournament ranked No. 164, became the lowest-ranked champion in the tournament’s history. She shattered the previous record held by Liudmila Samsonova, who was ranked No. 106 when she won the title in 2021.

Vondrousova’s path to victory included significant wins over top players, such as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. Sabalenka’s attempts to mount a comeback in their match fell short as Vondrousova secured the victory in straight sets.

After undergoing shoulder surgery in 2024 and facing a recurrence of the injury this year, Vondrousova showed incredible resilience throughout the tournament. In her victory speech, she expressed gratitude, saying, “We came here to try and win the first match, and now this is happening, so I’m very grateful to be standing here.”

The final match featured intense competition, especially in the opening set, which lasted more than an hour. Vondrousova struggled early, trailing but rallied to win in a tiebreak after saving several set points.

Although Wang held the momentum after winning the second set, Vondrousova surged ahead in the final set, breaking Wang’s serve twice to secure the win. “This victory means everything to me after such a tough time,” Vondrousova said in a post-match interview.