"Hopefully she will stay No 1 until I get there and take her place": Jabeur jokingly responds to Sabalenka ascent to World No.1
WTA
Tunisia’s tennis star Ons Jabeur has stated that she is hoping
to see Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka as the number one player in the WTA rankings
until she reaches the top of the ladder.
The 25-year-old has recently dethroned Poland’s Iga Swiatek
as the number one player in the WTA rankings after the latter was knocked out
of the US Open 2023 following her defeat in the last-16 against Latvia’s Jelena
Ostapenko with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Jabeur, who also exited the fourth and final Grand Slam of
the year after losing to China’s Qinwen Zheng with a score of 6-2, 6-4, was
quoted in a report where she jokingly said that she is hoping to see Sabalenka
staying at the top for some time.
"Honestly, I'm so happy for Aryna,” said the
29-year-old. “She deserved that. She's a very solid player. I've practiced with
her. Big serve, big hitter. I think she deserves to be number one spot. She
deserved that for a long time ago. Definitely the match yesterday was very
interesting.
“Not so many people surprised because Jelena can play
amazing, amazing games. That's the beauty of also WTA, to find different
heroes. I honestly love how Aryna plays with her passion on the court. You can
feel it. Hopefully she will stay number one until I get there and take her place."
Sabalenka booked her place in the semifinal of the US Open
after beating China’s Zheng in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday.
She will now face the winner of the clash between America’s Madison
Keys and Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova in the last-four tie on Thursday.
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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