Marketa Vondrousova will be 'difficult' to beat at the US Open according to seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander, following her shock Wimbledon triumph.
Vondrousova beat Ons Jabeur, 6-4 6-4, to win her maiden Grand Slam title at SW19.
The Czech had only previously won one match on the grass of Wimbledon, and Wilander has described her as 'very crafty'.
“Well, I mean, obviously she's a very, very crafty, great tennis player that didn't mind the pressure of playing a Wimbledon final,” said the former No.1
“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."
Vondrousova still has a a higher win-loss record on hard courts than on grass, which Wilander has suggested makes her dangerous heading into the US Open.
“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," claimed Wilander.
He continued, “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.
“I think that to beat her, if she's keen, if she's then motivated again, it's going to be very difficult."
Vondrousova had previously lost her two biggest matches, with losses in the 2019 Roland Garros final and the Tokyo Olympics final, but Wilander believes her Wimbledon win will change things.
“Vondrousova can certainly crash the party," said the former No.1 "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.
Wilander added, “I think once you've done it, you relish that situation where you have a day off between big matches.”
Vondrousova's best result at the US Open came back in 2018, when she reached the fourth round as a 19-year-old.
She will be looking to improve on that now as a Grand Slam champion and top 10 player, with the hard court major beginning on the 28th August.
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