Former World No.2 Ons Jabeur takes break from tennis

An undated photo of Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur. — AFP

Tunisian tennis star, two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur, on Thursday announced that she is taking a break from professional tennis for her own well-being.

Jabeur, who has played three Grand Slam finals across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, made an emotional exit from Wimbledon when she was forced to retire injured during her match in the first round against Viktoriya Tomova.

The first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final, Jabeur suffers from asthma and experienced breathing difficulties at this year's Australian Open.

Ons said that she has been dealing with injuries and so many things for the past two years and is not feeling truly happy on the court, and it's time to take a break from tennis to heal.

“For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges,” she said in a statement on social media.

“But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for some time now. Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it’s time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy of simply living.”

Jabeur thanked her fans for understanding and supporting and said that she will stay connected in different ways.

“Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always,” she continued.

“Even while I’m away from the court, I’ll continue to stay close and connected in different ways, and share this journey with you all. Ons.”

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