“I have to win a Slam, I have no choice. Maybe it’s my life’s mission to do it,” said Ons Jabeur in her documentary ‘This Is Me’ last year. The Tunisian tennis star has been one match away from a major title three times now. But the Grand Slam trophy still eludes her. And after a disappointing run at the Australian Open, it feels further away than ever. The former World No. 2 crashed out in the third round against 8th seed Emma Navarro, adding to her heartbreak. As her dream slips further from reach, is she starting to make peace with her reality?
Jabeur recently sat down with former tennis players Jack Sock, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and SIFT owner Charlie Fox on their podcast ‘Nothing Major’. This interview was recorded six weeks before its release on February 1.
During the conversation, Jabeur was asked if she would be content with a career that didn’t include a Grand Slam title. In her response she said, “It probably will take me some time to, you know, accept that. But I would definitely be grateful for every moment that I have, because if I ask any player right now, would they take three Grand Slam finals? Everybody would say yes. And for me, I would probably have a girl and raise her, and she will win the Grand Slam for me. That’s plan B.”
Even without a major title, the 30-year-old has already made history. She is the only African and Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final. But despite her groundbreaking achievements, the current World No. 34 has fallen short of a GS title every time. Her first chance came at Wimbledon in 2022, where she lost to Elena Rybakina. Later that year, she reached the US Open final but was defeated by Iga Świątek.
Then came 2023—a tough season for the former World No.2. After struggling with breathing issues at the Australian Open, she battled injuries throughout the year. Still, she fought her way back to another Wimbledon final. But once again, victory slipped away, this time to Markéta Vondroušová.
Now, with younger stars like Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff dominating the scene, can the 30-year-old still achieve her dream? What does she think about her biggest rivals?
Ons Jabeur on her rivals Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff
Iga Świątek has taken the tennis world by storm. At just 23, she has already claimed five Grand Slam titles and shows no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Coco Gauff secured her first major at the 2023 US Open. Jabeur has faced Świątek seven times but has managed to win only twice. Against Gauff, she has played just once—and lost.
On the Nothing Major podcast, the Tunisian tennis player shared her thoughts on facing the World No. 2 and World No. 3.
“I think Iga is a pretty solid player. She does not give you any free points, which is kind of difficult to play against. Coco is really amazing too. She plays unbelievable tennis. There are a lot of solid players where you have to be, if not 100%, close to it to play on that day,” Jabeur said.
Jabeur has now traveled to the Middle East for the Abu Dhabi Open, where she will face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the first round tomorrow.
Time is ticking, and the competition is only getting tougher. Can Ons Jabeur finally conquer her Grand Slam demons? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The post ‘Have a Girl Raise and She’ll….’- Ons Jabeur Reveals ‘Plan B’ as She Confronts Daunting Grand Slam Reality appeared first on EssentiallySports.