Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (right) was disrupted during the Qatar Open (Image: THE TENNIS CHANNEL)
Former champion Marketa Vondrousova was twice forced to halt her Qatar Open showdown with Elina Svitolina on Monday as the umpire told off fans who were chanting loudly next to the court. The Czech star threw away a one-set lead during the encounter as she suffered a 6-0, 2-6, 5-7 defeat.
Vondrousova overpowered Svitolina in the opening set as she appeared to be cruising to victory in the Middle East.
But the Ukrainian regained her composure to fight back and book her place in the last-16 of the tournament.
Vondrousova was serving at 2-3 in the final set when she paused and turned her head towards noise coming from fans nearby.
The umpire then exclaimed: “Thank you ladies and gentlemen just behind me. We are playing a match here, thank you. Thank you very much. Please be silent, thank you.”
But the chanting continued as a group of fans were seen celebrating and bouncing up and down together. The two players looked on in confusion as the umpire stared at the group.
Vondrousova eventually launched her serve towards Svitolina and won the point to move 30-0 ahead in the game as her opponent found the net with a forehand. But, incredibly, the chanting began again moments later as the 25-year-old stared at the sky in frustration and delayed her serve for a second time.
Some of the group were holding Tunisia flags as they chanted. And it appears they were celebrating Ons Jabeur’s victory over McCartney Kessler, with that match taking place on the nearby Centre Court.
Marketa Vondrousova won the Wimbledon title back in 2023 (Image: GETTY)
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Vondrousova has recently returned to action after missing the through injury. She suffered a disappointing season in 2024 as she was dumped out of the and in the first round before missing the with another injury issue.
She did manage to reach the quarter-finals, however, in the summer before losing to eventual champion .
And in 2023, the star won her only Grand Slam to date as she .
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Vondrousova’s victory at the All England Club saw her become the first unseeded player to win the ladies’ title.
And after the match, she gushed: “I don’t know what’s happening now – it’s an amazing feeling. And I mean, Ons, congratulations and you are such an inspiration for all of us and I hope you’re going to win one day.
“You’re an amazing person and congratulations, you guys are doing an amazing job. After everything I’ve been through I had a cast last year this time so this is amazing that I can stand here and hold this. Tennis is crazy.”