Lindsey Vonn’s return to the top of the World Cup podium in St. Moritz became a trending topic of discussion far beyond alpine skiing. The American icon’s record-breaking downhill victory at age 41 also drew admiration from tennis stars like Jessica Pegula, Iga Świątek, Maria Sharapova, and many others who poured in heartfelt messages online.
Tennis Stars Celebrate Lindsey Vonn’s Achievement
Vonn created history on Friday by winning the women’s downhill at St. Moritz. It is her 83rd career World Cup victory. At 41, Vonn became the oldest skier (male or female) to ever win an Alpine Skiing World Cup race, breaking previous age records held by Didier Cuche and Federica Brignone.
It was her first World Cup victory since March 2018 in Åre, Sweden. The win immediately sparked speculation about a possible return at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The achievement drew instant reactions from many popular and legendary tennis stars.
World No. 2 Iga Świątek shared her amazement on Instagram, posting a photo of her TV with the caption, “WHATTT @lindseyvonn 🔥🔥Wow.”
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova commented “So inspiring!! 🙌🙌” on Vonn’s Instagram post, while Naomi Osaka simply wrote, “Congratulations ❤️.”
The official Instagram account of FIS Ski World Cup shared a video of the winning moments of Vonn. Under the post, the 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens cheered with “LV!!!!!!!!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥,” and Rennae Stubbs also commented, “LETS GOOOOOOO👏👏.” Caroline Wozniacki also hyped Vonn’s win with her comment, “Yesss!!! LFG!!! 🔥”
In another video, FIS Ski World Cup shared Vonn getting emotional following her win. Under the post, Ana Ivanović and Ons Jabeur reacted with heart emojis. Stubbs once again cheered Vonn with her comment, “She’s looking down on you friend! Proud as punch! 🐐 👏 💪 ❤️ 🙌 #legend,” possibly referring to her mother, who passed away in 2022.
Billie Jean King shared her praise on Instagram story, writing, “Terrific! Congratulations @lindseyvonn!” Jessica Pegula also did the same with her caption, “Amazing!! @lindseyvonn.” Together, the responses showed just how inspiring Vonn’s comeback moment was.
Vonn’s Record-Breaking Win
Apart from being the oldest skier to ever win a World Cup race, what makes Vonn’s win even more remarkable is that she did it less than two years after going through a partial knee replacement.
For a long time, her knee was seen as the biggest barrier to any comeback. Vonn retired in 2019, especially after multiple surgeries on her right knee, which made it difficult for her to fully straighten it. But in 2024, she had a partial knee replacement using titanium implants, and everything changed. She later said she felt stronger and more comfortable than she had in years.
She is seven years older than the previous women’s record holder and four years older than the men’s. It’s another incredible milestone in an already legendary career. This victory marked her 83rd World Cup win. Her résumé already includes Olympic gold in 2010, three overall World Cup titles, and decades of dominance.