Ons Jabeur is experiencing a dramatic moment at Wimbledon: once again she misses the appointment with the Grand Slam success, a success that would be historic not only for her, but above all for Tunisia and the entire African continent.
An even more bitter defeat because Ons came after an almost perfect week, with victories over defending champion Elena Rybakina and world number two Aryna Sabalenka. The Tunisian appeared almost in tears after the match.
She explained: “It was a very tough match, I think Marketa played the right match to win this final. I hope to learn from this challenge and come back stronger.
The words of Princess Kate of Wales? She was very kind, she told me the same words last year. She didn’t know whether to hug me and I told her that hugs are always welcome from me. It was a good moment after the final.
The closing of the roof? I wasn’t focused on that, I can’t say that with the roof open things would have gone differently. I’m happy for Marketa who won her first Grand Slam, she’s had so many injuries and I’m happy for her. I wish her the best, I wish her to win more Grand Slams.”
Ons JabeurĀ after the Wimbledon final lost: “I felt so much pressure”
At the end of the match, Ons burst into tears and embraced Kim Clijsters, a Belgian tennis player who in the past lost her first four Grand Slam finals: “I love Kim, she is a tennis player from whom I get inspiration, I grew up watching her.
The fact that you spend time with me and hug me is amazing, it’s something that is priceless to me. She told me about her final four lost about her and that’s why I know all her details about her. What did I feel before the match? I honestly felt a lot of pressure and stress, but I told myself it’s normal.
I did everything I could. At the end of the match I told myself it wasn’t the right time, I hope that like the other champions of the past I will be able to reach this title.”