Marketa Vondrousova: ‘I am not the underdog any more. I have to get used to that’

The 24-year-old went into Wimbledon with no expectations but she arrives at the US Open as a grand slam champion and must learn how to win with the pressure on

In the early days of the grass season this June, Marketa Vondrousova and her doubles partner for the week, her Czech compatriot Katerina Siniakova, navigated their way to the final in Berlin. At that point, Vondrousova's record in finals, across singles and doubles alike, was not exactly ideal. Their eventual three-set defeat marked her seventh straight loss when it matters most. In the aftermath, not even her mother, Jindriska, could hide her frustration.

They came for the finals and she said, like: I don't want to be second all the time,'" says Vondrousova, laughing, as she recalls the conversation with her mother. I was like: OK, it's good even to be in a final. Come on, Mum!' And she's like: Yeah, but I don't want to be second all the time.'"