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WATCH: Jenson Brooksby defeats Casper Ruud in another 2023 Australian Open upset

Former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova announced her return to the big stage in unforgettable fashion: the 86th-ranked Czech took out No. 2 seed Ons Jabeur, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1, in the second round of Australian Open.

Jabeur, who reached the Roland Garros and US Open finals last year, was seeking her first Grand Slam trophy, and had been tipped as a pre-tournament favorite. The Tunisian continued the momentum with a semifinal run at the Adelaide tune-up.

With 84 ranking spots separating the two players, the world No. 2 was expected to cruise against the 23-year-old Czech, who spent much of last year battling a left wrist injury. Vondrousova took an extended break after undergoing surgery to relieve the chronic pain, and missed the last three Grand Slams of 2022.

Absent at the WTA-level for much of last season, the former world No. 15 opted to build back her ranking at ITF and WTA 125K events. Now firmly back inside the Top 100, Vondrousova showed signs of the world-beating form that saw her reach a Grand Slam final as a teenager in 2019 on Thursday against Jabeur.

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Former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova took down Jabeur in three sets.

Former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova took down Jabeur in three sets.

She took advantage of an out-of-sorts Jabeur, who was struggling to find her rhythm. The Tunisian’s usually on-point shot selection misfired against Vondrousova’s steady hitting. With Jabeur going for the early winners and trying to end points early, she racked up unforced errors—50 to 27 winners—resulting in plenty of free points going the other way.

Vondrousova allowed Jabeur just one game in the opening set, and despite trailing the No. 2 seed by 4-1 in the second, clawed her way back to make it close. All the while, Jabeur was shown smashing her racquet and shouting at her box—telegraphing her frustration to the perennially calm Vondrousova. It seemed to settle the Czech as the match continued, and she reeled off five of the last six games of the match to clinch the victory.

Her biggest win-by-ranking at a Grand Slam, Vondrousova moved into the second round at the Australian Open, where she will next face 17-year-old countrywoman Linda Fruhvirtova.