Former Wimbledon champion hits eight-year ranking low after injury-hit comeback at Roland Garros

Markéta Vondroušová, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, has fallen to her lowest WTA ranking in eight years, just days after making a long-awaited return to Grand Slam action at Roland Garros.

The 25-year-old Czech star has slipped 69 places in the updated WTA rankings, dropping from world No. 96 to No. 165. It’s her lowest standing since April 2017, when she was just 17.

Vondroušová, who made headlines by lifting the Wimbledon trophy in 2023, has faced a frustrating run of injuries that have severely disrupted her momentum on the WTA Tour. After an early exit in the first round of her Wimbledon title defence last summer, the Czech star underwent shoulder surgery and missed the remainder of the 2024 season.

Her return in 2025 was further delayed by complications that forced her to withdraw from the Australian Open and much of the clay-court swing.

The 25-year-old finally made her Grand Slam return at this year’s French Open, where she reached the third round. Along the way, she defeated 31st seed Magdalena Fręch in a hard-fought 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 victory in the second round. This marked a promising sign of progress, especially at Roland Garros, the venue where she was a finalist in 2019.

Her run ended in the third round with a 6-3, 4-6, 2-6 loss to American No. 2 Jessica Pegula. Since she was unable to defend the points from her quarter-final performance in Paris last year, Vondroušová dropped from world No. 96 to No. 165. This 69-place fall marks her lowest WTA ranking since April 2017, when she was just 17 years old.

With the grass court season already underway, Marketa Vondroušová’s immediate plans remain uncertain. She has not entered any of the usual warm-up tournaments such as the Nottingham Open or Eastbourne International and is currently scheduled to compete only at Wimbledon later this month.

By skipping these important lead-up events, Vondroušová risks losing the ranking points she earned from reaching the fourth round of the Berlin Open last year. This could put even more pressure on her ranking, making it harder to climb back up the WTA ladder.

The road to recovery and ranking improvement will not be easy, but there is reason for optimism. Vondroušová has only 70 ranking points left to defend for the remainder of the 2025 season. If she can stay healthy and avoid further injuries, the former world number six has the potential to regain her form and move back up the rankings quickly.

With a Wimbledon title, an Olympic silver medal, and a Roland Garros final already on her résumé, few would bet against Vondroušová making another impressive comeback in the years ahead.