Videos Live Scores Podcasts Opinion Interviews Business of Sport Inside Story Football Cricket Tennis Formula One Golf NBA UFC UAE Racquet Sports Fitness

Marketa Vondrousova claims maiden WTA title in Biel

Reem Abulleil

19:24 16/04/2017

Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova claimed her maiden WTA title in Biel with a 6-4, 7-6 (6) success over Anett Kontaveit in the final on Sunday.

The 17-year-old world No233 took out tournament top seed Barbora Strycova in the semi-finals, and is the latest left-handed talent to emerge from the Czech Republic, following in the footsteps of the likes of Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova.

She will move up more than 110 spots when the new rankings are released on Monday.

Here are six things to know about Vondrousova’s breakthrough triumph…

1- At the age of 17 years, 293 days, Marketa Vondrousova is the youngest WTA title winner since 2015 Nottingham, when Ana Konjuh won the title at 17 years, 169 days.

2- Vondrousova is the youngest Czech player to reach a WTA singles final since Nicole Vaidisova won the title at 2006 Strasbourg at 17 years, 34 days old.

3- With a ranking of No233, Vondrousova is the lowest ranked player to reach a final since Justine Henin was a runner-up at the 2010 Australian Open final without a ranking. She is the lowest-ranked player to win a title in 2017. Ashleigh Barty’s Kuala Lumpur title run as the world No158 is next in line.


4- Vondrousova’s win over No18 Barbora Strycova in the semi-finals in Biel, made her the youngest player to post a top-20 win since CiCi Bellis defeated a 13-ranked Dominika Cibulkova at the 2014 US Open. (Bellis was 15 years, 124 days.)

5- Vondrousova is the seventh first-time WTA title winner this season joining Katerina Siniakova (Shenzhen), Lauren Davis (Auckland), Elise Mertens (Hobart), Kristina Mladenovic (St Petersburg), Ashleigh Barty (Kuala Lumpur) and Daria Kasatkina (Charleston).

6- Vondrousova is the third qualifier to win a singles title in 2017, after Mertens (Hobart) and Barty (Kuala Lumpur).

*Stats via WTA

More from international-tennis

From Morocco to Abu Dhabi: Zakaria El Jamari’s incredible martial arts journey

French-Algerian Anissa Meksen gets chance to be first to claim new ONE Championship gold

Adrian Lee’s ONE Championship debut confirmed as he looks to further family legacy

NBA 3X ABU DHABI an unparalleled success with legends LaMarcus Aldridge and James Worthy in attendance

ONE Friday Fights 59: French-Algerian looks to maintain KO momentum in headliner

New ONE Championship king Alexis Nicolas ready to fight ‘the world’

Most Popular