Wimbledon
Vondrousova writes her own happy ending at Wimbledon leaving Tunisia’s Jabeur in tears
When Marketa Vondrousova punched away a volley and fell to the ground after completing one of the most unexpected runs to the Wimbledon title, a jumble of thoughts must have been running through her head.
After all, Saturday was meant to be the day when Tunisian sixth seed Ons Jabeur would finally become the first Arab and first African woman to win a Grand Slam title.
Instead, a distraught Jabeur was left with tears streaming down her face as her Wimbledon dream was wrecked in the final for the second year running with a 6-4 6-4 drubbing.
In stark contrast, Vondrousova knelt down on the grass in her moment of triumph — staring at the turf that until this fortnight had not brought her much joy.
The Czech left-hander had won only one match at the All England Club before this year and 12 months ago she had come to London as a tennis tourist with her arm and elbow in a plaster cast as she recovered from a second bout of wrist surgery.
Her time out from the sport meant that she fell so far off the tennis radar that she no longer even had a clothing sponsor.
But the 42nd-ranked Czech put those problems behind her to become the first unseeded woman to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish as she completed her own phenomenal comeback story.
“I don’t know what’s happening right now,” Vondrousova said during the presentation ceremony as she was given a standing ovation by a 15,000-strong capacity Centre Court crowd that included tennis greats Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova
“Ons, you are such an inspiration for all of us and I hope you will win this one day; you are an amazing person.
“This time last year I had a cast on so it’s amazing that I can now stand here and hold this (trophy), it’s crazy,” added the Czech, whose husband Stepan Simek had flown in from Prague especially for the final after being relieved of his cat-sitting duties at home.
“It’s amazing as tomorrow is the first anniversary of our wedding. I am exhausted but I am so proud. I am going to have a beer as it’s been an exhausting two weeks,” said Vondrousova.
While the clearly elated Czech began her victory lap to show off the Rosewater Dish to all corners of Centre Court, Britain’s Princess of Wales was left to console a sobbing Jabeur who could not fathom how she had messed up her chance of holding aloft the most famous trophy in women’s tennis.
The truth of the matter was that she was the architect of her own downfall, with the 31 unforced errors she produced telling their own story.
“This is very, very, tough. I am going to look ugly for those photos,” the 28-year-old Jabeur told the crowd through tears.
After the hollering fans gave the crowd favourite a prolonged ovation, she added: “This is the most painful loss of my career.
“Today is going to be a tough day for me but I’m not going to give up and I am going to come back stronger. It’s been a tough journey but I promise I will come back and one day win this tournament.”
Only time will tell if she can fulfil that promise but on Saturday she was ruing all the chances she had missed during the opening exchanges of a contest that was effectively being played in an indoor arena after the roof was closed to block out the howling winds blowing through the grounds.
Jabeur knows she could have won the first set 6-0, having had game points in each of the opening six games. But the variety, imagination and mental fortitude she had shown to knock out four Grand Slam champions en route to the final simply deserted her on Saturday.
She let a 2-0 opening-set lead slip through her fingers, with Vondrousova breaking back and then saving four break points in the fourth game.
It still seemed like Jabeur had the match on her racket when she leapt to a 4-2 lead by breaking her 24-year-old opponent to love.
But then inexplicably the wheels fell off Jabeur’s game as she lost 16 of the next 18 points, with a sloppy service return handing Vondrousova the set.
While the Czech was on a roll, winning five games on the trot, the crowd did their best to wake up Jabeur who appeared to be trapped in her own personal nightmare, albeit in front of a global audience.
The Tunisian, who also lost the 2022 U.S. Open final to Iga Swiatek, finally responded to take a 3-1 lead in the second set but that respite proved to be a false dawn.
The racket she had used as a wand to bamboozle six other rivals during these championships had lost its magical powers and she conceded five of the next six games in a hail of unforced errors, leaving Vondrousova to bask in the glory of following in the footsteps of fellow Czech-born Wimbledon champions Navratilova, Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova.
-Reuters
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz produced an utterly ruthless performance to dismantle Serbia’s Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-2 7-6(4) in a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final to successfully defend his title on Sunday.
Alcaraz now has four Grand Slam trophies with a perfect record in major finals, after his two Wimbledon triumphs, his U.S. Open victory in 2022 and his French Open win last month.
Defeat denied Djokovic a 25th Grand Slam title to surpass Margaret Court in the all-time list and also equal Roger Federer’s haul of eight men’s singles titles at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz pounced on his fifth break point in a tight first game that lasted 14 minutes, before the 21-year-old third seed dropped the hammer and powered through the opening set on the back of some solid serving.
Second seed Djokovic came under more pressure at the start of the next set as Alcaraz bullied the 37-year-old in the early exchanges to break and capitalised on his service woes for an imposing two-set lead.
Djokovic and Alcaraz went toe-to-toe until 4-4 in the third set before the Spaniard broke with a big backhand winner to take a 5-4 lead. However, despite being 40-0 up, he squandered three match points and dropped serve.
He tamed his nerves to clinch victory in the tiebreak when Djokovic crashed a return into the net.
-Reuters
List of Wimbledon men’s singles champions:
2024 Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) beat Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 6-2 6-2 7-6(4)
2023 Alcaraz (Spain) beat Djokovic (Serbia) 1-6 7-6(6) 6-1 3-6 6-4
2022 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Nick Kyrgios (Australia) 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3)
2021 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Matteo Berrettini (Italy) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 6-3
2020 Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Roger Federer (Switzerland) 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3)
2018 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 6-2 6-2 7-6(3)
2017 Federer (Switzerland) beat Marin Cilic (Croatia) 6-3 6-1 6-4
2016 Andy Murray (Britain) beat Milos Raonic (Canada) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2)
2015 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Federer (Switzerland) 7-6(1) 6-7(10) 6-4 6-3
2014 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Federer (Switzerland) 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4
2013 Murray (Britain) beat Djokovic (Serbia) 6-4 7-5 6-4
2012 Federer (Switzerland) beat Murray (Britain) 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4
2011 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Rafael Nadal (Spain) 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
2010 Nadal (Spain) beat Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 6-3 7-5 6-4
2009 Federer (Switzerland) beat Andy Roddick (U.S.) 5-7 7-6(6) 7-6(5) 3-6 16-14
2008 Nadal (Spain) beat Federer (Switzerland) 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7
2007 Federer (Switzerland) beat Nadal (Spain) 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2
2006 Federer (Switzerland) beat Nadal (Spain) 6-0 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 6-3
2005 Federer (Switzerland) beat Roddick (U.S.) 6-2 7-6(2) 6-4
2004 Federer (Switzerland) beat Roddick (U.S.) 4-6 7-5 7-6(3) 6-4
2003 Federer (Switzerland) beat Mark Philippoussis (Australia) 7-6(5) 6-2 7-6(3)
2002 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat David Nalbandian(Argentina) 6-1 6-3 6-2
2001 Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia) beat Pat Rafter (Australia) 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7
2000 Pete Sampras (U.S.) beat Rafter (Australia) 6-7(10) 7-6(5) 6-4 6-2
1999 Sampras (U.S.) beat Andre Agassi (U.S.) 6-3 6-4 7-5
1998 Sampras (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 6-7(2) 7-6(9) 6-4 3-6 6-2
1997 Sampras (U.S.) beat Cedric Pioline (France) 6-4 6-2 6-4
1996 Richard Krajicek (Netherlands) beat Mal Washington (U.S.) 6-3 6-4 6-3
1995 Sampras (U.S.) beat Boris Becker (Germany) 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 6-2
1994 Sampras (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 7-6(2) 7-6(5) 6-0
1993 Sampras (U.S.) beat Jim Courier (U.S.) 7-6(3) 7-6(6) 3-6 6-3
1992 Agassi (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 6-7(8) 6-4 6-4 1-6 6-4
1991 Michael Stich (Germany) beat Becker (Germany) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-4
1990 Stefan Edberg (Sweden) beat Becker (Germany) 6-2 6-2 3-6 3-6 6-4
1989 Becker (Germany) beat Edberg (Sweden) 6-0 7-6(1) 6-4
1988 Edberg (Sweden) beat Becker (Germany) 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 6-2
1987 Pat Cash (Australia) beat Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia) 7-6(5) 6-2 7-5
1986 Becker (Germany) beat Lendl (Czechoslovakia) 6-4 6-3 7-5
1985 Becker (Germany) beat Kevin Curren (U.S.) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-4
1984 John McEnroe (U.S.) beat Jimmy Connors (U.S.) 6-1 6-1 6-2
1983 McEnroe (U.S.) beat Chris Lewis (New Zealand) 6-2 6-2 6-2
1982 Connors (U.S.) beat McEnroe (U.S.) 3-6 6-3 6-7(2) 7-6(5) 6-4
1981 McEnroe (U.S.) beat Bjorn Borg (Sweden) 4-6 7-6(1) 7-6(4) 6-4
1980 Borg (Sweden) beat McEnroe (U.S.) 1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7(16) 8-6
1979 Borg (Sweden) beat Roscoe Tanner (U.S.) 6-7(4) 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4
1978 Borg (Sweden) beat Connors (U.S.) 6-2 6-2 6-3
1977 Borg (Sweden) beat Connors (U.S.) 3-6 6-2 6-1 5-7 6-4
1976 Borg (Sweden) beat Ilie Nastase (Romania) 6-4 6-2 9-7
1975 Arthur Ashe (U.S.) beat Connors (U.S.) 6-1 6-1 5-7 6-4
1974 Connors (U.S.) beat Ken Rosewall (Australia) 6-1 6-1 6-4
1973 Jan Kodes (Czechoslovakia) beat Alex Metreveli (Soviet Union) 6-1 9-8 (7-5) 6-3
1972 Stan Smith (U.S.) beat Nastase (Romania) 4-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 7-5
1971 John Newcombe (Australia) beat Smith (U.S.) 6-3 5-7 2-6 6-4 6-4
1970 Newcombe (Australia) beat Rosewall (Australia) 5-7 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1
1969 Rod Laver (Australia) beat Newcombe (Australia) 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4
1968 Laver (Australia) beat Tony Roche (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-2
PRE-OPEN ERA:
1967 Newcombe (Australia) beat Wilhelm Bungert (Germany) 6-3 6-1 6-1
1966 Manuel Santana (Spain) beat Dennis Ralston (U.S.) 6-4 11-9 6-4
1965 Roy Emerson (Australia) beat Fred Stolle (Australia) 6-2 6-4 6-4
1964 Emerson (Australia) beat Stolle (Australia) 6-4 12-10 4-6 6-3
1963 Chuck McKinley (U.S.) beat Stolle (Australia) 9-7 6-1 6-4
1962 Laver (Australia) beat Marty Mulligan (Australia) 6-2 6-2 6-1
1961 Laver (Australia) beat McKinley (U.S.) 6-3 6-1 6-4
1960 Neale Fraser (Australia) beat Laver (Australia) 6-4 3-6 9-7 7-5
1959 Alex Olmedo (U.S.) beat Laver (Australia) 6-4 6-3 6-4
1958 Ashley Cooper (Australia) beat Fraser (Australia) 3-6 6-3 6-4 13-11
1957 Lew Hoad (Australia) beat Cooper (Australia) 6-2 6-1 6-2
1956 Hoad (Australia) beat Rosewall (Australia) 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-4
1955 Tony Trabert (U.S.) beat Kurt Nielsen (Denmark) 6-3 7-5 6-1
1954 Jaroslav Drobny (Egypt) beat Rosewall (Australia) 13-11 4-6 6-2 9-7
1953 Vic Seixas (U.S.) beat Nielsen (Denmark) 9-7 6-3 6-4
1952 Frank Sedgman (Australia) beat Drobny (Egypt) 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-2
1951 Dick Savitt (U.S.) beat Ken McGregor (Australia) 6-4 6-4 6-4
1950 Budge Patty (U.S.) beat Sedgman (Australia) 6-1 8-10 6-2 6-3
1949 Ted Schroeder (U.S.) beat Drobny (Egypt) 3-6 6-0 6-3 4-6 6-4
1948 Bob Falkenburg (U.S.) beat John Bromwich (Australia) 7-5 0-6 6-2 3-6 7-5
1947 Jack Kramer (U.S.) beat Tom Brown (U.S.) 6-1 6-3 6-2
1946 Yvon Petra (France) beat Geoff Brown (Australia) 6-2 6-4 7-9 5-7 6-4
1940-1945 No competition
1939 Bobby Riggs (U.S.) beat Elwood Cooke (U.S.) 2-6 8-6 3-6 6-3 6-2
1938 Donald Budge (U.S.) beat Bunny Austin (Britain) 6-1 6-0 6-3
1937 Budge (U.S.) beat Gottfried von Cramm (Germany) 6-3 6-4 6-2
1936 Fred Perry (Britain) beat von Cramm (Germany) 6-1 6-1 6-0
1935 Perry (Britain) beat von Cramm (Germany) 6-2 6-4 6-4
1934 Perry (Britain) beat Jack Crawford (Australia) 6-3 6-0 7-5
1933 Crawford (Australia) beat Ellsworth Vines (U.S.) 4-6 11-9 6-2 2-6 6-4
1932 Vines (U.S.) beat Austin (Britain) 6-2 6-2 6-0
1931 Sidney Wood (U.S.) beat Frank Shields (U.S.) walkover
1930 William Tilden (U.S.) beat Wilmer Allison (U.S.) 6-3 9-7 6-4
1929 Henri Cochet (France) beat Jean Borotra (France) 6-4 6-3 6-4
1928 Rene Lacoste (France) beat Cochet (France) 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-2
1927 Cochet (France) beat Borotra (France) 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-5
1926 Borotra (France) beat Howard Kinsey (U.S.) 8-6 6-1 6-3
1925 Lacoste (France) beat Borotra (France) 6-3 6-3 4-6 8-6
1924 Borotra (France) beat Lacoste (France) 6-1 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-4
1923 Bill Johnston (U.S.) beat Frank Hunter (U.S.) 6-0 6-3 6-1
1922 Gerald Patterson (Australia) beat Randolph Lycett (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-2
From 1877 to 1921 the men’s singles was decided on a challenge-round system with the previous year’s winner automatically qualifying for the final (British unless stated):
1921 Tilden (U.S.) beat Brian Norton (South Africa) 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-0 7-5
1920 Tilden (U.S.) beat Patterson (Australia) 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4
1919 Patterson (Australia) beat Norman Brookes (Australia) 6-3 7-5 6-2
1915-18 No tournament held
1914 Brookes (Australia) beat Anthony Wilding (New Zealand) 6-4 6-4 7-5
1913 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Maurice McLoughlin (U.S.) 8-6 6-3 10-8
1912 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Arthur Gore 6-4 6-4 4-6 6-4
1911 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Herbert Barrett 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-2 retired
1910 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Gore 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-2
1909 Gore beat Major Ritchie 6-8 1-6 6-2 6-2 6-2
1908* Gore beat Barrett 6-3 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-4
1907* Brookes (Australia) beat Gore 6-4 6-2 6-2
1906 Laurence Doherty beat Frank Riseley 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-3
1905 Doherty beat Brookes (Australia) 8-6 6-2 6-4
1904 Doherty beat Riseley 6-1 7-5 8-6
1903 Doherty beat Riseley 7-5 6-3 6-0
1902 Doherty beat Gore 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-0
1901 Gore beat Reginald Doherty 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-4
1900 Reginald Doherty beat Sydney Smith 6-8 6-3 6-1 6-2
1899 Reginald Doherty beat Gore 1-6 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3
1898 Reginald Doherty beat Laurence Doherty 6-3 6-3 2-6 5-7 6-1
1897 Reginald Doherty beat Harold Mahony 6-4 6-4 6-3
1896 Mahony beat Wilfred Baddeley 6-2 6-8 5-7 8-6 6-3
1895* Baddeley beat Wilberforce Eaves 4-6 2-6 8-6 6-2 6-3
1894 Joshua Pim beat Baddeley 10-8 6-2 8-6
1893 Pim beat Baddeley 3-6 6-1 6-3 6-2
1892 Baddeley beat Pim 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-2
1891* Baddeley beat Pim 6-4 1-6 7-5 6-0
1890 Willoughby Hamilton beat William Renshaw 6-8 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-1
1889 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 6-4 6-1 3-6 6-0
1888 Ernest Renshaw beat Herbert Lawford 6-3 7-5 6-0
1887* Lawford beat Ernest Renshaw 1-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-4
1886 William Renshaw beat Lawford 6-0 5-7 6-3 6-4
1885 William Renshaw beat Lawford 7-5 6-2 4-6 7-5
1884 William Renshaw beat Lawford 6-0 6-4 9-7
1883 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 2-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3
1882 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 6-1 2-6 4-6 6-2 6-2
1881 William Renshaw beat John Hartley 6-0 6-1 6-1
1880 Hartley beat Lawford 6-3 6-2 2-6 6-3
1879* Hartley beat Vere St Leger Goold 6-2 6-4 6-2
1878 Frank Hadow beat Spencer Gore 7-5 6-1 9-7
1877 Spencer Gore beat William Marshall 6-1 6-2 6-4
*Denotes no challenge round. Winner of all-comers’ final declared champion. REUTERS
Summary
- Czech staves off Italian seventh seed Paolini to win title
- Second Grand Slam singles crown after 2021 French Open win
- More heartbreak for Paolini after Roland Garros final loss
An inspired Barbora Krejcikova etched her name onto Wimbledon’s famed honours board alongside her late mentor Jana Novotna after the seasoned Czech survived a stirring fightback from Jasmine Paolini to seal a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory in the final on Saturday.
The 2021 French Open champion added the Venus Rosewater Dish to her bulging trophy cabinet that also includes 10 Grand Slam doubles prizes besides an Olympic doubles gold medal from the Tokyo Games three years ago.
Moments after her triumph, Krejcikova was reflecting on a chat that she had as a junior with her idol Novotna, who lifted the Wimbledon title 26 years ago and tragically died in 2017 following a battle with ovarian cancer aged 49.
“Knocking on her door, it changed my life,” said Krejcikova, who reached out to Novotna for help by writing her a letter before they started working together in 2014.
“In that period, when I finished the juniors, I didn’t know what to do. Should I continue playing professionally or should I go into education?
“She was the one who told me I had the potential. I should definitely turn professional. Before she passed away she told me I can win a Grand Slam. I achieved that in Paris in 2021.
“It was an unbelievable moment for me and I never really dreamed I would win the same trophy as Jana did in 1998.”
Novotna had captured the hearts of fans when she famously sobbed on the shoulders of the Duchess of Kent during the 1993 presentation ceremony after being beaten by Steffi Graf.
On Saturday, it was Krejcikova who broke down in tears when she was shown her idol’s name on the honours board at the All England Club.
“The only thing that was going through my head was that I miss Jana a lot. It was just a very emotional moment to see my name on a board right next to her,” Krejcikova told reporters.
“I think she would be proud. I think she would be really excited that I’m on a same board as she is because Wimbledon was super special for her.”
MENACING MOOD
In a final between two players whose styles are more suited to the slow claycourts of Roland Garros rather than slick grass at the All England Club, Krejcikova began in a menacing mood with some heavy hitting to dictate play.
She raced through the opening set on a sunlit Centre Court before the crowd roared on French Open runner-up Paolini to coax her into action.
The ever-smiling Italian obliged and levelled the contest in her usual rollicking fashion, but Krejcikova quickly wrestled back the advantage after breaking serve at 3-3 thanks to a double fault and pulled away.
Serving for the title at 5-4, Krejcikova endured a nervy spell as she wasted two match points before saving two break points to seal victory at the third time of asking — a result that even left her stunned.
“I think nobody believes it that I got to the final and nobody believes that I won Wimbledon,” said Krejcikova, who joined an elite list of Czech Wimbledon champions including Marketa Vondrousova, Petra Kvitova and Novotna.
“I still can’t believe it.
“… It’s definitely the best day of my tennis career and also the best day of my life.”
Victory was all the more special for Krejcikova who had a losing record heading into Wimbledon. In fact, she had only won seven matches all season when she arrived in London due to a back injury and illness. Her 7-9 win-loss record in 2024 was nothing to shout about.
She doubled that match-win tally with her run to the title at the grasscourt major and on Saturday she threw her arms up in the air and was shouting “It feels great” after completing her incredible journey.
She also became the eighth different women’s champion in as many editions.
“Two weeks ago I had a tough match (in the first round against Veronika Kudermetova) and I wasn’t in good shape before that because I was injured and ill. I didn’t really have a good beginning to the season,” Krejcikova said.
“It’s unbelievable I’m stood here and I’ve won Wimbledon.”
It was heartbreak all over again for the bubbly Paolini, who lost the French Open final against Iga Swiatek a few weeks ago and was bidding to become the first Italian player to win a Wimbledon singles title.
“Sometimes I’m a little bit scared to dream too much. I’m going back, trying to practice, to stay in the present. This is the goal for me, my team, to try to keep this level as much as possible,” the seventh-seeded Paolini said.
“If I keep this level, I think I can have the chance to do great things. But if I’m not keeping this level, it’s not coming anything good.
“I don’t know what to dream right now. Today I was dreaming to hold the trophy, but didn’t go well. I’m just enjoying the position where I am right now, number five in the world.
“It’s unbelievable, honestly. I just did two finals in two Grand Slams. I have to be also happy with the results. I’m also a little bit disappointed.”
-Reuters
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON5 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON7 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!