Marketa Vondrousova has proven her big match credentials

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has proven she has what it takes to win the big matches, according to Mats Wilander.

Wilander believes that Vondrousova has taken a big step in winning her first Major final.

The Czech came up short at the Tokyo Olympics and in her first Grand Slam final in Paris in 2019 but held her nerve against Ons Jabeur to win Wimbledon.

“Well, I mean, obviously she’s a very, very crafty, great tennis player that didn’t mind the pressure of playing a Wimbledon final,” Wilander said on Eurosport.

“That was the question that we didn’t know the answer to because she’s obviously lost two big finals, one at the French, one at the Olympics before, but she came in and she was very calm.

“So she goes on to the hard courts, which I think would have been a better surface for her than grass before we saw her win Wimbledon.

“I think that she’s going to have so much confidence. Obviously, she’s going to have to deal with a bit of pressure, a bit of recognition that she didn’t have before when she gets over to North America to play those tournaments.”

Wilander feels that the confidence she will take from the win will stand Vondrousova in good stead.

“I think that to beat her, if she’s keen, if she’s then motivated again, it’s going to be very difficult.

“I think that she’s going to do more great things because of the way she behaved and acted in that final against Ons Jabeur. Unflappable!”

Vondrousova has confessed that she felt grass was her weakest surface and Wilander feels that a deep US Open run cannot be ruled out.

“Vondrousova can certainly crash the party,” he said. “She’s already done that and she can do it at the US Open.

“I think what this does in Wimbledon is give her that confidence once she gets to another grand slam of playing a match, taking a day off, playing another match, taking another day off and that’s a rhythm that it is not easy to find and accept.

“I think once you’ve done it, you relish that situation where you have a day off between big matches.”

With the emergence of Vondrousova as a new title threat the heat will be on defending champion Iga Swiatek at Flushing Meadows but she remains the firm favourite.

“Very difficult to call the US open for sure,” Wilander added.

“Obviously, Iga Swiatek goes in as the favourite, the defending champion from last year.

“You have to put Ons Jabeur up there in the big tournaments these days because she keeps showing up in finals, and obviously making the final there last year, you have to throw her in there for one of the favourites.

“And then the obvious two is Aryna Sabalenka, great hard court player. That’s her best surface, I think, And then Elena Rybakina. I’m not sure if hard court is as good a surface as grass is for her, but she’s certainly one to reckon with.

“And now you’re going to have to throw Marketa Vondrousova in there just because she knows how to do it. She’s done it, but, most probably needs a few more tournament victories before you can safely put her inside the ‘big five’.”

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