By Tony Fairbairn at Wimbledon
- Marketa Vondrousova admitted she was nervous and scared after title defence ended in first round
- A host of players paid tribute to Andy Murray after the former champion withdrew from singles
- Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek spoke about celebrity fans and who they’d invite to dinner after reaching the second round
LONDON, ENGLAND – Marketa Vondrousova admitted nerves got the best of her after a first round exit at Wimbledon while players pay tribute to Andy Murray after the Brit withdrew from singles on day two of the tournament.
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Marketa Vondrousova admits nerves after first round exit
Our day two talking points start with the defending women’s champion Marketa Vondrousova as she became the first player since Steffi Graf to lose in the first round after winning the title the year before.
A year ago Vondrousova was celebrating the biggest achievement of her career as she claimed her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.
However, that moment felt like a lifetime ago as a year later Vondrousova returned to Centre Court only to be thrashed by Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Bouzas Maneiro played with authority and power as she cruised past a below-par Vondrousova who was a shadow of the player that she was a year ago.
Speaking after her shocking first round exit, Vondrousova admitted she was nervous and scared with the injury that she suffered in Berlin playing its part in the defeat.
“I think practice was fine and everything. Yeah, today I was a bit scared because of my leg, too. But I don’t think that was the reason. I felt the nervous from the start,” Vondrousova explained in her press conference.
“Yeah, I mean, she was also playing a good match. That was kind of tough, too. Yeah, overall it was very tough. Yeah, it’s tough feelings also to go back. I feel like everybody just expects you to win maybe. That’s tough, too. Yeah, I was happy to be back on the Centre Court. Yeah, it just didn’t go as planned today.
“it’s tough to go out defending the title. Yeah, I was really nervous from the morning and everything. Yeah, she was also playing good tennis, so that’s kind of tough, too. You don’t have many chances to, I don’t know, just win free points maybe. She was returning also good. Yeah, my serve wasn’t so good today. Overall, I think I wasn’t at my best, and she was playing good.”
The result means Vondrousova will exit the world’s top ten after Wimbledon as she now goes back to the drawing board.
Although the Czech Republican was upset by the defeat, last year’s champion ended her press conference by saying she will be back stronger.
“Not really. I played good in Paris. I also felt good in Berlin. Then I did the injury, so I didn’t play for a couple days. Here practice was good. Matches, always different,” Vondrousova stated.
“Yeah, today I was really nervous since the start. I, like, couldn’t maybe shake it off. Yeah, also she was playing good. I didn’t, I don’t know, like had many chances to come back to the match or she didn’t give me much free points also. Yeah, credits to her. I’m going to be back stronger, I hope.”
As for Bouzas Maneiro, it was the biggest win of her career as it was a day that the Spaniard will never forget.
After the match the Spaniard spoke about playing with happiness and said playing on Centre Court was one of the most beautiful experiences in her life.
“I think my performance was good. I play so free. I don’t know, I play happy. That’s way I’m playing. I think when I’m playing like that, my tennis going out. Yeah, I was trying to put more ball in, just to be careful with the dropshots and with the slice, because she plays so good in that tennis,” Bouzas Maneiro explained.
“Of course, the court is amazing. I don’t know, just with the atmosphere and everything. I was trying to don’t look up, just playing, just be focus with her, in my tennis. It was like that. Of course, it’s one of the most beautiful experience in my life to play in this court.”
Bouzas Maneiro will play compatriot Cristina Bucsa in the next round.
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Players pay tribute to Murray after singles withdrawal
Next up it’s the heart-breaking news that Andy Murray withdraw from the singles event at Wimbledon as he continues to make progress with his back injury.
It was huge disappointment for Murray as a spokesperson from his team confirmed that Murray will be playing his final Wimbledon this year.
However, there is nothing to fear as Murray will be playing the doubles event with his brother Jamie Murray later this week.
After the news was made, multiple players paid tribute to the Brit’s career starting with Harriet Dart who said Murray was a great advocate for women’s tennis.
“I mean, growing up, what I thought of Wimbledon, I associated Andy Murray with. He’s been such a champion on and off the court. Not only for tennis, but women’s tennis especially,” Dart said.
“He’s always been so supportive. I think what’s been amazing for me is, during the COVID break, we were very lucky to be able to practice at the National Tennis Centre, he was always putting so many hours in. For someone who’s had such an amazing career, he just goes about his business so diligently. He’s always the first person there and the last to leave.
“I feel like more and more people are much more supportive of women’s sports in general. For me, for someone who has been so dominant on the men’s game, to speak out and be able to articulate himself in a way where he calls people out or he corrects people, I think it shows a lot of his character and who he is as a person.
“I think, as well, for him, he’s had such strong female role models as well. Yeah, I think that’s been a big, big thing. To have such a champion champion women’s tennis is amazing.”
Next up Billy Harris spoke about how Murray has been a great role model to British tennis and how he gives out advice to other players.
“Yeah, I mean, I grew up watching him play. Obviously after Tim, he was the guy to look up to. Great role model for everyone in British tennis, I think,” Harris explained.
“Yeah, lucky enough the last couple years to get to know a bit more, practice with him more. Great guy off the court. Gives me bits of advice and encouragement. It’s going to be a shame to see him leave the game.
“Just being around him, seeing how much work he puts into his off-court fitness, how much he trains even with all his injuries that he’s had. Yeah, inspiring to watch. Definitely learnt a lot off him just being around him.”
Finally from a non-British perspective, here is Alexander Zverev on what he respects the most about Murray.
“I think there’s two parts to his career: preinjury and after injury. For me the after injury part is more impressive than the pre,” Zverev explained.
“The way he was fighting and showed passion for the sport, he really gained followers. He really gained the love of the crowd after the injury, just really showing how much he actually loves the sport, how much he appreciates being on the court.
“For me that’s the most impressive thing. Somebody who has won Grand Slams, was world No. 1, not everybody would have said, Okay, you know what, I’m going to accept that I’m going to be 30 or 40 in the world, but I’m going to do everything I can and going to fight for every single match, I’m going to fight for every single point, that I still can give to sport. That for me deserves the most respect.”
The Murray brothers will begin their doubles campaign against Rinky Hijikata and John Peers.
Novak Djokovic receives celebrity support
Next up it’s time to hear what seven-time champion Novak Djokovic had to say after the Serb cruised past Vit Kopriva in straight sets.
Djokovic’s knee more than held up as he moved into the second round and the former world number one had some celebrity support in the form of Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The snooker legend was seen in Djokovic’s player box and the Serb spoke about O’Sullivan’s influence on his career.
“I’m his fan. I watch snooker just because of him. I watched when I was a kid. Honestly, I watched him play many years ago,” Djokovic elaborated.
“My father loved watching snooker. I only watched Ronnie. Whenever he would not play, I would not watch. We just had a meet-up, an interaction for the first time. It was great. He was one of the sport greats I used to watch when I was a kid.
It was really nice to have him around. Hopefully we’re able to play some snooker ’cause I’m really bad at snooker. I’m okay at pool or billiard, but snooker, I tried it twice, and it’s really, really tough. Yeah, it’s amazing. He’s a really, really nice person, nice guy, and very funny.”
Djokovic will hope to continue to snooker his opponents which starts when he takes on British wildcard Jacob Fearnley on Thursday.
Iga Swiatek speaks Graf influence
The final word goes to world number one Iga Swiatek after the Pole cruised past Sofia Kenin in her opening round match.
After the match Swiatek was asked to pick someone to go to a restaurant with and Swiatek picked Graf as the Pole admired her mentality.
“Yeah, her (Steffi Graf) mentality. It’s hard for me to compare our styles. Obviously we’re playing in different eras of tennis,” Swiatek said.
“It’s kind of hard to find the same things, especially with her backhand and her slice, her volley, and me not being able to play these kind of things. So more about mentality.”
Swiatek will aim to continue to replicate Graf’s mentality when she takes on Petra Martic in her second round match.
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