Czech player Marketa Vondrousova wins the first set against Tunisian Ons Jabeur in a packed out crowd with Princess Kate, Dame Maggie Smith and Jonathan Van Tam in the women’s final at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon.

Stakes are high for both players as left-handed Jabeur hopes to become the first African woman to win a Grand Slam, while Vondrousova makes history as the first unseeded player to ever make the Wimbledon final in the Open era.

Wimbledon will have crowned a new winner by the end of the match – which could last up to three sets – who will lift the trophy and take home a handy £2.35 million.

The stands are expected to be full ahead of one of the biggest finals on the tennis calendar.

Officials from both ladies’ countries are also in the royal box to support them in their bid for Wimbledon glory, alongside former tennis stars Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. 

Both players will also have their own entourage of support from their own boxes, which is believed to include Jabeur’s husband Karim Kamoun, an ex-professional fencer. Vondrousova’s husband Stepan Simek has remained at home so far to look after the couple’s cat.

Jabeur took the early lead in the first set, taking her own service game before gaining two break points and converting the second to go up 2-0. 

But a determined Vondrousova fought hard to immediately break back ahead of her own service game – and Jabeur showed early signs of frustration as she expressed anger at herself for losing her advantage.

Jabeur easily held her point lead and raced ahead to 4-2 but Vondrousova was quick to bring it back to 3-4 but after a great return from the Czech the match evened once again – there has been four breaks. 

After too many unforced errors from Jabeur, Vondrousova wins the first set 6-4.

Former tennis star John McEnroe on Jabeur – As commentator John McEnroe put it: ‘She had a mini meltdown.’ 

Vondrousova has a strong start to the second set as she wins the first in the second set but despite having a wobbly start, Jabeur has a strong come back at 2-1.

As Jabeur makes a steady come back at 3-1 – the Chair Umpire attempts crowd control after the crown erupts with cheers after her point win.

Vondrousova hit back with another break as she closes the gap with 2-3 and quickly evens the score with 3-3.

A year ago, number six in the world Jabeur became the first North African woman, the first Arab woman and the first Muslim woman to make a Grand Slam final. 

She was beaten by Elena Rybakina, but made it to another final at the Grand Slam final months later.

Her brilliant comeback win over Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday sealed her place in another final, and the star from a coastal town in Tunisia is on the verge of becoming the first African woman to win a Grand Slam title.

Meanwhile Vondrousova, a former junior world No 1, came into Wimbledon unseeded and has already made history by making the final.

Currently ranked at No 42 in the world, the Czech is also the second-lowest ranked player to reach the Wimbledon final since the WTA Rankings were introduced, with only Serena Williams in 2018 (ranked No 181) ranked lower.

Clay was – and is – her preferred surface, it is what she grew up playing on and so when she reached the French Open final in 2019 that felt the natural path to prosperity.

Grass, a surface she previously described as ‘impossible’ for her to excel on, was not part of the script.

Even with her six wins and run to the Wimbledon final, she remarkably still has a losing record on grass, standing at 10 wins and 11 losses. She can level the field with her first ever Grand Slam on Saturday.

No matter who wins out on Saturday, women’s tennis will have a brand new Grand Slam winner – in front of a star-studded crowd. 

Everyone will stay dry, with the Centre Court roof firmly on amid weather warnings for strong winds in place in the UK. Patchy rain has also been seen in the capital, but there will be no rain delay to this match.