"All of a sudden I get a message saying I need my hug": Clijsters shares moment with close friend Jabeur ahead of Wimbledon semi-final win
WTA
Former world number one Kim Clijsters revealed that Tunisia’s
Ons Jabeur asked her for a hug before her Wimbledon 2023 semifinal clash.
The 28-year-old managed to beat the current world number two
Aryna Sabalenka in the last-four clash with a score of 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.
Clijsters, while talking after the match, stated that she ended
up annoying another lady as she had to rush and hug her friend Jabeur after she
asked for it.
“I get along really well with Ons,” she said. “We are in
touch quite often. I did a studio interview before the match just to talk about
what was going on and all of a sudden as I was walking to the commentary booth
of the radio as the match was about to get started and I get a message saying ‘I
need my hug’ from Ons. So the lady who was taking me there was pretty annoyed
as I had to rush back and gave her a hug”
Clijsters further went on to praise the two players for
producing such a high-level encounter and called it a ‘great day’ for women’s
tennis.
“It was impressive the way she [Jabeur] managed to get back
to match after losing the first set which was really close in a tiebreaker,” she
said. “Both players played high-level tennis as neither waited for the
opponents to make a mistake. Taking it to the opponents and played some
incredible shots. I believe it was a really good day for women’s tennis.”
The four-time Grand Slam winner went on to praise Jabeur, who
according to her is a much better player now compared to how she was last year.
“We have no idea what she [Sabalenka] was thinking about it
when she was 4-2 up in the second set,” she said. “Maybe, she was distracted
with the thought [of becoming world number one]. But Ons did what she had to do. She had to
stay on top of the baseline.
“She had to come out of her comfort zone. It was not just
today or yesterday. It was probably when she lost in the final last year. She
probably realised that she was not hitting the ball as hard as others. She made
some tactical changes. She also worked on her mental fitness with her coach which
also helped her in becoming more aggressive on the court. You can see that determination
and belief in her.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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