Tunisian Star Ons Jabeur Steps Away from Tennis

Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur has put her professional career on hold after a challenging season that saw her drop in the world rankings due to injuries. Earlier this year, she also experienced breathing difficulties during her second-round match at the Australian Open, which were linked to her asthma condition.

As a result of these and other factors, Jabeur has fallen to No. 71 in the WTA rankings after once reaching the world No. 2 spot. She explained her decision as a way to “put myself first.”

Jabeur, 30, wrote on her Instagram account: “I’ve pushed myself hard over the past two years and dealt with injuries and many other challenges. But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for quite some time.”

The 2022 and 2023 Wimbledon finalist, as well as the 2022 US Open finalist, added: “Tennis is a beautiful sport, but today I feel it’s time to take a step back and put myself first—to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy in life’s simple things.”

She thanked her fans for their understanding, saying: “Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry them with me always.” She added, “Even when I’m away from the court, I’ll remain close and connected in different ways, and I’ll share this journey with you all.”

After her third-round exit at the Australian Open earlier this season, Jabeur’s campaign ended in the first round of the French Open. She was then forced to withdraw from her opening-round match at Wimbledon against world No. 111 Viktoriya Tomova due to injury, after just two games in the second set.

Jabeur appeared visibly uncomfortable throughout the match, played in sweltering heat in London. She delivered a subpar performance and committed several unforced errors, ultimately losing the first set 6-7 (5-7), despite having two chances to close it out in the tiebreak.

Two games into the second set, she called for a medical timeout and was treated by the medical team before being taken off the court. She returned 14 minutes later but was unable to continue the match.

At the time, Jabeur said: “I didn’t expect to feel this uncomfortable. I’d been training very well the past few days.” She added, “These things happen. I’m very sad. It really doesn’t help with my confidence.”

Her Wimbledon exit marked yet another disappointment in what has been a difficult past two seasons. She stated, “I’ll keep trying my best, even though it’s been a very tough season for me. I hope to feel better and see what happens.” She continued, “I’m trying to take a step back from tennis and enjoy life without it for a while. I’m focusing on healing and spending time with my family. Hopefully that will help me recharge. Rest is the best remedy.”

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