Photogallery
Photo: Slavomír Kubeš, CTK
The fans in Sokolov welcomed Markéta Vondroušová.
Photo: Slavomír Kubeš, CTK
Wimbledon winner Markéta Vondroušová returned to her hometown of Sokolov. She signed autographs for fans on Staré náměstí.
Vondroušová was surprised by how many people came to greet her today. “When I started playing tennis here as a child, no one expected that I would be standing here like this after this tournament. I had a wonderful childhood here and it is beautiful to see that even from a small town you can reach such a high level,” said Vondroušová to the fans who filled half of the square.
The ceremonial welcome was prepared by the House of Culture together with the city management. From the town hall, the twenty-four-year-old player received a bottle of local Permon beer with her own photo and a pack of gummy bears. “We chose these two things because she likes them,” said Tomáš Melč, director of the Sokol House of Culture.
Vondroušová still has part of her family in Sokolov, and for that reason she likes to return here. She also likes to play on the local courts, where she started playing tennis at the age of four. This time, however, he won’t be able to make it, because he is returning to Prague immediately due to work obligations. He wants to take a break from tennis. At the beginning of August, he will fly to Montreal for another tournament.
The native of Sokolovská has financially supported the city in the past. The local hospital purchased several special devices for the children’s department. He plans to continue to help. “I think that it should be done when a person has such possibilities. We will certainly come up with something after that,” she told ČTK.
During Saturday’s Wimbledon final, in which Vondroušová played against Uns Jabirová from Tunisia, the city authorities intended to organize a public projection on the square. However, due to the high temperatures, it eventually failed. The fans watched the match at least in local pubs.
The tennis player was also ceremoniously welcomed by the city two years ago, when she won a silver medal at the Olympics in Tokyo. At that time, she received a City Plaque from the management of the town hall.