Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is planning a Sunday outing with her coach Jan Mertl as he pays off a lost bet by getting a tattoo.
The newly crowned Czech champion who beat Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to lift the title, revealed that her mentor will now be sporting ink – though none could match the array of tats decorating his player.
“I had a bet with him that if I win a Grand Slam he will get a tattoo,” she said at the trophy ceremony.
“I think we will go tomorrow.”
Vondrousova said she first began getting her decorations at age 16 and has added to them over the years.
Victory celebrations were likely to include a few British pints: “”Maybe I will have some beer,” she said. “It’s been an exhausting two weeks.
“I’ve been trying to keep myself together for the last few days.”
Vondrousova was joined at the last minute on Saturday by her husband Stefan, with the pair to celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Sunday.
He was relieved of cat-sitting duties back home in Sokolove near the German border in time to fly to London for his wife’s biggest day on court.
A year ago, Vondrousova was watching here as a spectator, recovering from wrist surgery.
Rehab and recovery kept her away from tennis for six months.
“Comebacks are not easy, I didn’t know what to expect,” she said.
“I was playing small events (last year) and hoping to get back to this level,” said the one-time No. 14.
“Now this is happening.”
Main photo:- London Wimbledon 2023. Marketa Vondrousova’s Coach Jan Mertl (right) will have the insignia on an unspecified part of his person as part of the deal with the world No 42, who is a big fan of body art and has countless tattoos.Husband Stepan Simek (left) was relieved of cat sitting duties at home in Sokolov Cechoslovakia and flew in to watch today’s final by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
