Ons Jabeur reacts to making tennis history at Wimbledon
JULY 8, 2022
by DZEVAD MESIC
World No. 2 Ons Jabeur reached her maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon and made tennis history in the process. On Thursday, Jabeur overcame 103rd-ranked Tatjana Maria 6-2 3-6 6-1 to become the first Arab or African woman to reach a Grand Slam final.
"The dream kind of started last year when I enjoyed playing here, enjoyed the crowd. I didn't play so many Wimbledons before. Usually it was the first and second round. It's tricky to play on grass. I knew I was playing good on grass because of my game and everything.
But last year, Melanie [Maillard] reminded me, my mental coach, I told her, 'I'm coming back next year for the title,' when I lost in the quarterfinals. I just love everything around here, the atmosphere and everything.
It was my main goal from the beginning of the season, and even from last year. Everything about the energy, I just love being here."
Jabeur overcame Maria to book an Elena Rybakina final
Jabeur got off to a very fast start, breaking Maria twice to easily win the first set.
Maria maybe didn't make a good start to her first Grand Slam semifinal but her level improved in the second set as she earned her first in the fourth game and then held on to her serve the rest of the set to force a decider.
However, losing the second set didn't impact Jabeur, who started the third set with a 5-0 lead before serving out for the match in the seventh game. In the Wimbledon final, Jabeur faces 23rd-ranked Rybakina, who upset Simona Halep in the semifinal.
Jabeur and Rybakina will be going head-to-head for the fourth time when they meet in the Wimbledon final. Jabeur has a positive 2-1 head-to-head record versus Rybakina - Rybakina won their first meeting in 2019, before Jabeur won their second and third meetings last year.
JULY 8, 2022
by DZEVAD MESIC
World No. 2 Ons Jabeur reached her maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon and made tennis history in the process. On Thursday, Jabeur overcame 103rd-ranked Tatjana Maria 6-2 3-6 6-1 to become the first Arab or African woman to reach a Grand Slam final.
"The dream kind of started last year when I enjoyed playing here, enjoyed the crowd. I didn't play so many Wimbledons before. Usually it was the first and second round. It's tricky to play on grass. I knew I was playing good on grass because of my game and everything.
But last year, Melanie [Maillard] reminded me, my mental coach, I told her, 'I'm coming back next year for the title,' when I lost in the quarterfinals. I just love everything around here, the atmosphere and everything.
It was my main goal from the beginning of the season, and even from last year. Everything about the energy, I just love being here."
Jabeur overcame Maria to book an Elena Rybakina final
Jabeur got off to a very fast start, breaking Maria twice to easily win the first set.
Maria maybe didn't make a good start to her first Grand Slam semifinal but her level improved in the second set as she earned her first in the fourth game and then held on to her serve the rest of the set to force a decider.
However, losing the second set didn't impact Jabeur, who started the third set with a 5-0 lead before serving out for the match in the seventh game. In the Wimbledon final, Jabeur faces 23rd-ranked Rybakina, who upset Simona Halep in the semifinal.
Jabeur and Rybakina will be going head-to-head for the fourth time when they meet in the Wimbledon final. Jabeur has a positive 2-1 head-to-head record versus Rybakina - Rybakina won their first meeting in 2019, before Jabeur won their second and third meetings last year.
In the semi-finals, Jabeur will face another newcomer to this stage at a major tournament, Tatjana Maria.
Wednesday 06/07/2022
The Arab Weekly
Ons Jabeur celebrates after winning a point against Marie Bouzkova in a women’s singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 5, 2022. (AP)
WIMBLEDON, England –
To the many “firsts” filling Ons Jabeur’s résumé, add a new one: the first Arab woman to reach the semi-finals at a Grand Slam tournament.
The third-seeded Tunisian improved on last year’s quarter-final run at Wimbledon by going one better on Tuesday at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament. She beat Marie Bouzkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on Centre Court.
“It means a lot,” said the 27-year-old Jabeur, who is ranked No. 2 in the world.
“I was hoping that I could get to this stage for a long time already … I was talking a little bit to (former Moroccan player) Hicham Arazi and he told me, ‘Arabs always lose in the quarter-finals and we are sick of it. Please break this.’ I was, like, I’ll try, my friend.”
She tried and it is true, she did it.
In the semi-finals, Jabeur will face another newcomer to this stage at a major tournament,Tatjana Maria.
The 34-year-old German, who twice took breaks from tennis to have a child, became the oldest first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist in the Open era in her 35th appearance at such a tournament. She defeated 22-year-old Jule Niemeier 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 on No. 1 Court.
Jabeur and Maria are good friends.
“I’m really happy for her that she’s getting what she deserves. I know she struggled a lot,” Jabeur said. “It’s not easy coming back after having two babies. It’s going to be a great match between us, a lot of respect, for sure.”
Jabeur has been setting record after record for Arab players in recent years. She became the first Arab woman to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam tournament in 2020 at the Australian Open.
In 2021, she was the first Arab player to break into the top ten of the men’s or women’s rankings, then became the first Arab to win a WTA title and topped it off with her record run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
This year, things have been going even better for Jabeur on the grass at the All England Club. She won her first four matches in straight sets and was rarely troubled in any of them.
That changed against Bouzkova, a 23-year-Czech who had never before been to the third round at a major tournament. Bouzkova’s strong start, however, did not last into the second set.
“She gets all the balls and doesn’t make, to win a point, easy for me,” Jabeur said. “I’m glad I stepped in with my game. I was more aggressive in the second set, and especially tactically I was playing some angles that she didn’t like much.”
Maria also lost the first set before recovering to win the next two. The victory made her only the sixth woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals after turning 34 years old.
The previous five women, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Venus Williams and Serena Williams, won a combined 30 titles at the All England Club in their careers.
“To be in a list of such great players, it’s amazing,” said Maria, who had only ever reached the third round at a major once before, at Wimbledon in 2015. “I mean, to have my name in the same spot, yeah, I still cannot believe it, really.”
Maria is making her tenth appearance at the All England Club, her participation was twice interrupted to have children. Her first daughter was born in 2013 and the second came in 2021.
Tennis, despite this incredible run at Wimbledon, has taken a back seat to family ever since the kids came along.
“I think for me, that’s the most important in my life, to be a mom of my two kids. Nothing will change this,” Maria said.
“I’m in the semi-final of Wimbledon, it’s crazy, but I’m still a mom. After this I will go out over there and I will see my kids and I will do the same thing what I do every single day.”
Maria was ranked outside the top 250 as recently as March, but she has worked her way back to No. 103.
She returned from her second maternity leave about a year ago and lost in the first round of the US Open. At the majors this year, she lost in the first round at both the Australian Open and the French Open.
“I always believed that I have something inside, I mean, that I can do this,” Maria said. “I always believed in this, but to be now here in this spot … one year ago I gave birth to my second daughter. If somebody would tell me one year later you are in a semi-final of Wimbledon, that’s crazy.”
Ons Jabeur celebrates after winning a point against Marie Bouzkova in a women’s singles quarter-final match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 5, 2022. (AP)
WIMBLEDON, England –
To the many “firsts” filling Ons Jabeur’s résumé, add a new one: the first Arab woman to reach the semi-finals at a Grand Slam tournament.
The third-seeded Tunisian improved on last year’s quarter-final run at Wimbledon by going one better on Tuesday at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament. She beat Marie Bouzkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 on Centre Court.
“It means a lot,” said the 27-year-old Jabeur, who is ranked No. 2 in the world.
“I was hoping that I could get to this stage for a long time already … I was talking a little bit to (former Moroccan player) Hicham Arazi and he told me, ‘Arabs always lose in the quarter-finals and we are sick of it. Please break this.’ I was, like, I’ll try, my friend.”
She tried and it is true, she did it.
In the semi-finals, Jabeur will face another newcomer to this stage at a major tournament,Tatjana Maria.
The 34-year-old German, who twice took breaks from tennis to have a child, became the oldest first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist in the Open era in her 35th appearance at such a tournament. She defeated 22-year-old Jule Niemeier 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 on No. 1 Court.
Jabeur and Maria are good friends.
“I’m really happy for her that she’s getting what she deserves. I know she struggled a lot,” Jabeur said. “It’s not easy coming back after having two babies. It’s going to be a great match between us, a lot of respect, for sure.”
Jabeur has been setting record after record for Arab players in recent years. She became the first Arab woman to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam tournament in 2020 at the Australian Open.
In 2021, she was the first Arab player to break into the top ten of the men’s or women’s rankings, then became the first Arab to win a WTA title and topped it off with her record run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
This year, things have been going even better for Jabeur on the grass at the All England Club. She won her first four matches in straight sets and was rarely troubled in any of them.
That changed against Bouzkova, a 23-year-Czech who had never before been to the third round at a major tournament. Bouzkova’s strong start, however, did not last into the second set.
“She gets all the balls and doesn’t make, to win a point, easy for me,” Jabeur said. “I’m glad I stepped in with my game. I was more aggressive in the second set, and especially tactically I was playing some angles that she didn’t like much.”
Maria also lost the first set before recovering to win the next two. The victory made her only the sixth woman to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals after turning 34 years old.
The previous five women, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Venus Williams and Serena Williams, won a combined 30 titles at the All England Club in their careers.
“To be in a list of such great players, it’s amazing,” said Maria, who had only ever reached the third round at a major once before, at Wimbledon in 2015. “I mean, to have my name in the same spot, yeah, I still cannot believe it, really.”
Maria is making her tenth appearance at the All England Club, her participation was twice interrupted to have children. Her first daughter was born in 2013 and the second came in 2021.
Tennis, despite this incredible run at Wimbledon, has taken a back seat to family ever since the kids came along.
“I think for me, that’s the most important in my life, to be a mom of my two kids. Nothing will change this,” Maria said.
“I’m in the semi-final of Wimbledon, it’s crazy, but I’m still a mom. After this I will go out over there and I will see my kids and I will do the same thing what I do every single day.”
Maria was ranked outside the top 250 as recently as March, but she has worked her way back to No. 103.
She returned from her second maternity leave about a year ago and lost in the first round of the US Open. At the majors this year, she lost in the first round at both the Australian Open and the French Open.
“I always believed that I have something inside, I mean, that I can do this,” Maria said. “I always believed in this, but to be now here in this spot … one year ago I gave birth to my second daughter. If somebody would tell me one year later you are in a semi-final of Wimbledon, that’s crazy.”
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