WIMBLEDON, England -- Adaptation. In nature, it’s the only way for a species to survive and, ultimately, thrive. Similarly, at Grand Slams, when players must defeat seven very different opponents, where conditions can vary dramatically, being flexible and fluid is mandatory.

In her first three visits to Wimbledon, Marketa Vondrousova lost in the first round. Two years ago in her fourth, she won for the first time -- and lost in the second round.

Everything you need to know about the 2023 Wimbledon final

After defeating Ukrainian heartthrob Elina Svitolina in the semifinals, Vondrousova became the first unseeded Wimbledon finalist in the Open Era that encompasses more than a half-century. She’s No.42, the second-lowest ranked player to reach the final here since the Hologic WTA Tour rankings were introduced in 1973.

Semifinal results:

Vondrousova beats Svitolina at Wimbledon; makes second Grand Slam final

Back-to-back: Jabeur beats Sabalenka to return to Wimbledon final

Ons Jabeur, the No.6 seed, was a finalist here a year ago, but her path in 2023 was twisted and sometimes torturous. An injury effectively took her out for two months -- but at Wimbledon, her diverse skill set has flourished in the garden that is the All England Club.

In a daunting bottom-half draw that included defending champion and Elena Rybakina, it was Jabeur who emerged after defeating No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set semifinal thriller.

Now, who will take this final (Saturday, 2 p.m., 9 a.m. ET)? Which player will make those final adjustments -- borrowing from similar catalogs of drop shots and slices, unnatural agility and deceptive power -- and adapt to these enormous circumstances that will deliver a first-time Grand Slam champion?

Greg Garber and Courtney Nguyen have some ideas on the subject:

Advantage, Jabeur

After first tweaking her knee in Melbourne in a first-round match back in January, Jabeur gamely steeped on the court for the second. Waiting there was Vondrousova, who put together a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 victory.

Minor surgery forced Jabeur to miss the Middle East swing and she came back in Indian Wells. After beating Magdalena Frech, the No.106-ranked player, in the first round, Jabeur faced No.105.  The score was 7-6 (5), 6-4 and Vondrousova had beaten her in back-to-back matches.

“I’m going for my revenge,” Jabeur said after defeating Sabalenka. “I didn’t win against her this year. She plays very good. I’m not sure how she’s going to play in her second Grand Slam final. We are both hungry to win.”

This, Courtney, is why Jabeur is going to win.

Never underestimate the power of unfinished business and, against Vondrousova, Jabeur is looking for some closure. And then there’s her overall legacy. Jabeur reached two Grand Slam singles finals last year -- losing to Elena Rybakina at Wimbledon and Iga Swiatek at the US Open. Jabeur aches to be the one holding the larger trophy in the post-match ceremony.

On this surface, her game soars. While Sabalenka is a magnificent athlete, she’s got nothing on Jabeur. There’s a picture from the semifinals when Jabeur’s nearly two feet in the air, contorted after a shot, and she looks so comfortable, so confident. Right now, no one’s better on grass.

You can look it up: Since the beginning of 2021, Jabeur has won 28 matches on the stuff; the last player to do that over a three-year span was Maria Sharapova from 2004-06.

Statistically speaking, she’s been great on break points, converting 26 of 48 (54 percent). And, despite all the talk of Sabalenka’s serving power, Jabeur has won 80 percent of her first serves, better than any of the semifinalists, including Sabalenka (75) and matching Rybakina, the master of free points. The fun thing? No one is returning first serves better than the left-handed Vondrousova. That’s the critical micro-matchup that could determine the winner.

And then there is the history that beckons. Jabeur has steadily collected a string of firsts for a player from Tunisia. She’s broken ground for Arab and North African players, but to this point, the biggest prize has eluded her.

“Definitely getting closer to winning the Grand Slam that I always wished -- I would say I always believed,” Jabeur said. “But sometimes you would question and doubt it if it’s going to happen -- if it’s ever going to happen.

“For me, I’m going to learn a lot from not only Wimbledon’s final but also US Open final and give it my best. Maybe this year was all about trying two times and getting it right the third time. So let’s see.” -- Greg Garber

Advantage, Vondrousova

Marketa the Mercurial. How else to describe the effortlessly talented but consistently injured Czech who has quietly made three huge finals in her career? Her last two final appearances? 2019 Roland Garros and the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago. Now, against all odds, she finds herself in a Slam final four years after making her first.

And at Wimbledon, a tournament where she made it past the first round just once in her career. Where she was 1-4 before this year. Wimbledon, where tennis is played on a surface on which, even with her resounding six wins over the fortnight, she still has a losing record.

Five things to know about Wimbledon finalist Marketa Vondrousova

This is the wildest run to a major final this side of Emma Raducanu.

In recent years, fellow lefties Petra Kvitova's first-strike power and Angelique Kerber's aggressive counterpunching have proven there is more than one way to win on the surface. The fact that the historically quick surface has seemed slower in the last years, especially with the roof closed, has certainly boosted Vondrousova's chances.

"When I saw the draw, it wasn't easy," Vondrousova said. "I beat Kudermetova, Vekic. They are great on grass. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I'll get better and I can do something here.

"For me, it's really crazy this is happening. But I think anything can happen in tennis."

If the underlying theory of grass-court tennis is quick, aggressive points, Vondrousova is the disruptor. She disarms power and neutralizes rallies over and over again. In the face of that recursive pressure, her opponents implode. What she lacks in firepower, she makes up for with patience, anticipation and audacious shot-making. Her drop shots and lobs can make her opponents look slow and silly.

Just last month, Vondrousova watched her compatriot Karolina Muchova stun the field at Roland Garros to make a Grand Slam final on her worst surface. She counseled Muchova throughout that run and gave her an earnest pep talk after the loss in the final to Swiatek.

Vondrousova knew what that felt like. In her first major final in 2019, she was so nervous she won just four games against Ashleigh Barty at Roland Garros.

"I was very young, so I think it was just too much for me back then," Vondrousova said. "I think this [experience] can help you also on the way. You know what to do. You know you have to have good people around you.”

Vondrousova won't be riddled with nerves on Saturday. All the pressure, every single ounce of it, is on the other side of the net with Jabeur. Vondrousova is playing with house money and the confidence of being undefeated against the Tunisian this year. A win would make her the first player to beat Jabeur three times in a single season. --  Courtney Nguyen