So far, the seeded No.1 and big favorite, had yet shown imperial in the Tunisian tournament, leaving only 9 games to his opponents in the first two rounds, the American Ann Li then the Russian Evgeniya Rodina.
But this time, she was surprised by Liu, quarter-finalist in the WTA 500 in Tokyo in mid-September and finalist in Rabat in May, who took her entry service in the first two rounds.
In the first set, Liu was able to hold her advantage until the end, well helped by the Tunisian's failing serve (45% of first serves) but in the second, Jabeur rebelled and immediately picked up, before making the break on her opponent's next face-off...then losing her advantage again in the next game, in which she double faulted in a row, visibly annoyed.
The inconstancy of the two players then continued, each losing their serve in turn (3 times for Jabeur, 4 for Liu), but it was the Wimbledon and US Open 2022 finalist who ended up taking the front, supported by a Tunisian public all committed to his cause, to equalize with one set everywhere by concretizing his 5th set point.
This inability to keep her commitment on both sides was repeated at the end of the decisive round, and this time it was the American who was able to show herself to be the most resistant to finally win after 2h28 of game, where each of the players will have committed 51 unforced errors.
Liu will be opposed in the semi-finals to the winner of the last quarter of the day which opposes the Belgian Elise Mertens (42nd) to the Japanese Moyuka Uchijima (124th).
The first semi-final will pit the French Alizé Cornet, 37th in the world, against the Russian Veronika Kudermetova (12th).
The Monastir tournament (center-east), on hard, which makes its first appearance on the WTA calendar, is the 2nd tournament of the women's professional circuit organized in Africa, after that of Rabat in Morocco.
© 2022 AFP