Czech doubles specialist Kateřina Siniaková reached a new milestone in her already glittering career on Thursday, teaming up with Dutchman Sem Verbeek to win the 2025 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Championship.
The pair defeated Brazil’s Luisa Stefani and Britain’s Joe Salisbury in a tight straight-sets final: 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–3).
The victory marks Siniaková’s first Grand Slam mixed doubles title, adding to an exceptional record that already includes 10 Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles and 30 career doubles titles overall.
But the moment was perhaps even more meaningful for Verbeek, who was appearing in his first-ever Grand Slam final. The 31-year-old Dutchman, a relatively unknown name on the doubles circuit, rose to the occasion on Centre Court, keeping his cool in both tiebreaks and showing outstanding net coverage throughout the match.
“Kateřina, thank you so much. It’s been an honour to compete alongside such a great doubles legend—one of the best to ever do it. Thank you for making this a Thursday I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” said a beaming Verbeek after the final.
Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek, the Mixed Doubles Champions of 2025
#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/cWtDZedpJM
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2025
Siniaková, now a Wimbledon champion in both women’s and mixed doubles, reflected on the experience with gratitude.
“To be back on Centre Court—this atmosphere is always amazing—so I’m just really happy I could be here again.”
There were no breaks of serve in the final, but Siniaková and Verbeek remained locked in during both tiebreaks. Their sharp returns and seamless teamwork made the difference against the experienced duo of Stefani and Salisbury.
With this win, Siniaková’s Grand Slam title haul now includes:
- Australian Open (Women’s Doubles): 2022, 2024, 2025
- French Open (Women’s Doubles): 2018, 2021, 2024
- Wimbledon (Women’s Doubles): 2018, 2022, 2024
- US Open (Women’s Doubles): 2022
- Wimbledon (Mixed Doubles): 2025
Siniaková, who partnered Tomas Machac to win the gold medal at last year’s Paris Olympics, is the WTA doubles No. 1 player who has 10 major titles in women’s doubles, including at this year’s Australian Open alongside Taylor Townsend
Siniaková and Townsend will compete in the Wimbledon women’s doubles semifinals Friday.
The 31-year-old Verbeek, No. 31 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, led the Centre Court crowd in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his father, Frank, during the trophy ceremony.
Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more
Markéta Vondroušová captured the 2025 Berlin Open title on Sunday after a hard-fought battle against China’s Wang Xinyu, winning 7–6 (12–10), 4–6, 6–2 in a tense final.
The Czech left-hander, ranked No. 73 and unseeded, claimed her third career singles title – and her first WTA crown on grass outside of Wimbledon – with a composed finish to a high-quality contest.
On Saturday, she stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 6–2, 6–4, with a display of fearless variety and smart serving. That match, a masterclass in tactical control, marked her most important win since Wimbledon.
Vondroušová’s path to the title also included a tight opener against Madison Keys (7–5, 7–6 (8–6)), a three-set battle against Diana Shnaider (6–3, 6–7 (3–7), 6–3), and a dominant quarterfinal win over Ons Jabeur (6–4, 6–1). With each match, her confidence and level of play grew.
The final against Wang proved her toughest test. The first set saw both players trading breaks and pushing through pressure-packed points, ending in a marathon tiebreak that Vondroušová edged 12–10. Wang bounced back in the second set with aggressive hitting, taking it 6–4. But in the decider, Vondroušová raised her level once more, pulling away to close out the match 6–2.
After the win, she reflected on the long road back from injury – and the team that helped her along the way.
Marketa #Vondrousova is the Champion of the BERLIN TENNIS OPEN by HYLO 2025!
— Berlin Tennis Open (@berlin_tennis) June 22, 2025
“We were all working really hard to get me back, and we came here just hoping to win a match – and now this is happening. I’m very grateful to be standing here, and very grateful for you guys. Thank you,” she said during the trophy ceremony.
Her words reflect a comeback marked by physical and emotional challenges. After undergoing shoulder surgery in 2024 and withdrawing from several events – including the 2025 Italian Open – Vondroušová faced questions about her future. Earlier this season, she responded with rare honesty:
“We are not machines, we are people, with emotions and pain. You never know what someone is going through. Don’t judge – try to be supportive instead.”
In Berlin, she answered with her tennis: sharp, composed, and fully in control – a performance that not only reaffirmed her game and grit, but also positioned her for a strong second half of the season.
Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more
In the 1930s, Zdeněk Koubek was one of the most dominant figures in women’s athletics in Czechoslovakia.
He was fast, strong, and record-breaking–a rising star of international track and field.
But behind the headlines and medals was a deeper, more complicated story: one of gender identity, public scrutiny, and ultimately, a choice between personal authenticity and athletic fame.
Born Zdenka Koubková in the small Czech town of Paskov, she was raised in Brno. It was there that Zdena, in her late teens, joined the local chapter of Orel, a Catholic youth group focused on sports. She loved to ice skate, and but found she excelled in track and field.
Koubek emerged as a gifted athlete in the early 1930s. At just 19 years old, he broke his first national record in 1932 and went on to set five more.
By 1934, Koubková was one of Czechoslovakia’s most celebrated female athletes, winning two medals at the Women’s World Games in London and breaking two world records in the process.
Zdena’s next world record came in the medley relay (2×100 metres, 200 metres and 800 metres), at 3:14.4. That August, she won the 800-metre event at the 1934 Women’s World Games, in a new world record time of 2:12.4 and finished third in the long jump with a national record of 5.70 metres.
But success came with a spotlight, and that spotlight quickly turned intrusive. Media outlets began speculating about his gender, citing his androgynous appearance and behaviour.
An anonymous request prompted Olympic officials to consider ordering a medical examination. Rather than submit to this scrutiny, Koubek chose to step away from sport and began living openly as a man.
His announcement attracted widespread attention and sparked controversy, especially after novelist Lída Merlínová published a fictionalized book, titled Zdenin světový rekord (Zdena’s World Record), which sympathetically portrayed Koubek’s story.
After the Women’s World Games of 1934, suspicions about Zdena Koubková’s gender were circulating widely. She retired from competition, considering it unfair to compete against women and struggling with her own identity.
In late 1935, some months after the publication of Lída Merlínová’s romanticized biographical novel, Zdena revealed in an interview that she planned to undergo gender reassignment surgery.
Zdena Koubková went from national hero to outcast. Sports officials at home and abroad accused Czechoslovakia of sending “men disguised as women” to compete. After transitioning to Zdeněk Koubek, he was left without a job, income, or diploma—and accepted a paid U.S. lecture tour that resembled a circus sideshow
Koubek’s story is rarely told today, yet it mirrors current debates around transgender athletes and gender policies in sports. From bans in World Aquatics (WA) swimming to efforts by inclusive teams like Team Trans Hockey, the questions Koubek faced still linger nearly a century later.
In remembering Zdeněk Koubek, we not only honor a remarkable athlete but also acknowledge the enduring tension between identity and acceptance in the world of competitive sports.