Forward of the Australian Open, the Tunisian trailblazer stated she is aiming to fulfil her Grand Slam ambitions.
As she prepares for the Australian Open, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur is aiming to turn into world primary in ladies’s tennis this yr and “not lose any extra finals” after having skilled heartbreak in two.
Having steadily risen to a career-high rating of quantity two, Jabeur feels this would be the yr she takes the ultimate step to the higher echelons of ladies’s tennis. She was runners-up at Wimbledon and the US Open final yr.
“I’m doing every part attainable to win a Grand Slam. For me, I’m simply going to go for it. This yr, 2023, is about ‘simply be free’ and play my sport on the courtroom,” she stated in Adelaide, forward of the Australian Open, the primary main of the yr, which begins at Melbourne Park on Monday.
“I'll attempt to use that have from final yr as a result of it was form of powerful,” the Tunisian stated.
“My objective is to not lose any extra finals, however simply use that to be prepared for the subsequent one.”
The 28-year-old trailblazer turned the primary Arab girl to achieve a Grand Slam remaining and the first African girl to achieve the US Open remaining within the open period, however Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek shut the door on her alternatives to jot down historical past.
Jabeur left Flushing Meadows in tears however promised to return again stronger, assured she would attain a Grand Slam remaining once more together with her “never-give-up” angle.
Nicknamed the “Minister of Happiness”, Jabeur is well-loved by her friends for her graciousness on and off the courtroom, a lot in order that she was voted the winner of the WTA’s Sportsmanship Award on the finish of 2022.
Jabeur’s appeal on the courtroom and on social media has received her many followers, with former primary Naomi Osaka describing the Tunisian because the “nicest particular person I’ve ever met” after she cracked jokes and made her really feel comfortable when she was a nervous newcomer on the tour.
Jabeur will face Slovenia’s world quantity 88 Tamara Zidansek within the first spherical on Tuesday.
She stated she would not be happy with matching her greatest earlier Australian Open efficiency.
“I will not be as glad as I used to be in 2020 reaching the quarterfinal,” she stated. “The objective as second on the planet is to be within the second week, to make finals.”
Late bloomer Jabeur was 26 when she lifted her maiden WTA title in 2021 at Birmingham, including Madrid and Berlin trophies final yr.
“I need to be primary on the planet, not simply the quantity but in addition the extent and the self-discipline round it. I need to win extra titles and get that Grand Slam title, for positive,” she stated. “I do know loads of gamers are hungry to do extra. It’s going to be very attention-grabbing these two weeks.”
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