Ons Jabeur is a regular at big premieres.
The Tunisian, already the first player from the Arab world to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2020, is the first tenniswoman from the African continent to play in the final of a major tournament, Saturday July 9 at Wimbledon, against Kazakh Elena Rybakina.
Her qualification for the semi-final in London was already historic, as it made Ons Jabeur the first Arab and North African player, male and female, to reach this stage at a Grand Slam tournament.
In October 2021, she was the first tennis player in the Arab world, men and women alike, to reach the top 10 in the world.
"This is only the beginning," said the Tunisian, who frequently repeats her pride in representing "Arabs and Africa".
The moment Ons Jabeur reached her first Grand Slam semi-final#Wimbledon |
#CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/c7z6F9UUYw
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2022
Undefeated on grass this season, after her title in Berlin last month, the world number two and her wide range of shots, has only one match to win to become a legend.
And this to the delight of Tunisians who passionately follow the London career of the woman they have raised to the rank of national idol.
"Everyone is going to watch the final on Saturday, it brings me a lot of joy and happiness to see so many Tunisians supporting me, they will really help me lift this title, with their encouragement and the energy that give me, it's incredible, said Ons Jabeur, in a press conference, on July 7, after defeating her friend, the German Tatjana Maria, in the Wimbledon semi-finals (6-2, 3-6, 6 -1). I can't wait to live these moments and to make the Tunisians live these incredible moments, I really hope to be present and win the title on Saturday".
The click in 2020
Born on August 28, 1994 in Ksar Hellal, in the governorate of Monastir, in eastern Tunisia, Ons Jabeur started playing tennis very early.
Very very early even since she hit her first balls at the age of 3 in Hammam Sousse, a chic suburb of the seaside resort of Sousse, under the encouragement of her mother Samira, herself a member of a local tennis club.
His club then had the tennis courts of neighboring hotels as its only grounds.
Ten years later, after taking part in national tournaments, the young tenniswoman, who already displayed the rage to win that drives her today, joined the sports high school of El-Menzah, in Tunis, at the age of 13, and began to play on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Junior Tour.
In 2011, in the midst of the Tunisian revolution, the prodigy marked observers by winning the Roland-Garros junior tournament.
Ons Jabeur becomes the first North African player to win a Grand Slam in this category.
Despite the sacrifices and his energy, his transition from juniors to professionals is complicated.
She will confide that injuries and bad choices of coaches have long slowed down her progress and her ambition to reach the heights.
It's only been two years since Ons Jabeur has displayed a regularity that allows him to stay at the top of the table on the professional circuit.
Precisely since the Australian Open in January 2020, where the one who was then only ranked 78th in the world only lost in the quarter-finals, against the American Sofia Kenin, future winner of the tournament.
It's the click!
In June 2021, she won the WTA 250 tournament in Birmingham, the first title on the main circuit for a North African player.
Then, the same year, the former fan of the American Andy Roddick (world number one in 2003) reached the round of 16… at Wimbledon.
To AFP, Ons Jabeur then explained that he had "gained experience and confidence" from the Australian Open: "The other players began to be afraid of playing against me (...) My way of playing reflects my personality."
"I want to see more players from my country, from the Middle East, from Africa"
With her tennis all in touch, slices and amortizations, she has the game and the mind to settle permanently at the top of the WTA rankings, starting by capsizing an entire country with joy, Saturday afternoon.
A country that she left at the age of 16, but which he never left.
She returns there regularly, in particular with her trainer Issam Jalleli and her husband and physical trainer, Karim Kamoun, both Tunisians, and remains involved in several humanitarian operations (education and health) in favor of Tunisian youth weighed down by the serious crisis. political and economic situation in the country.
Making Tunisia proud 🇹🇳❤️@Ons_Jabeur |
#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/COxViOTRCk
— wta (@WTA) July 7, 2022
Ons Jabeur also takes advantage of its notoriety to send messages of hope to this youth.
“I play for my country, she confided on Thursday. It is not only Ons Jabeur but also Ons Jabeur the Tunisian, the Arab too. I am very happy to represent these little young girls who dream of being there and even the boys, it's not impossible to be there".
"I want to go even higher and be an inspiration for more generations, because we want to see more players from this area of the world. I want to see more players from my country, from the Middle East, from Africa,” she added.
"There was a time when we didn't believe we could do it. And now I'm trying to show that we can. I hope it will inspire people," concluded the Tunisians. nicknamed “Onstoppable”, a play on words between her first name and “unstoppable”, “unstoppable” in English, and “the Minister of Happiness”.
A ministry she wants to keep “forever”.
With AFP
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