"I should have done that way before" - Ons Jabeur voices regrets on ending 2024 season prematurely
WTA
After a subpar start to the 2024 WTA season that saw her battle various injuries, Ons Jabeur was forced to end her season early. The former Wimbledon finalist has now revealed what she would have done differently.
Although she failed to qualify for the year-ending WTA Finals, Ons Jabeur still made an appearance at the event. The Tunisian star is a significant figure in Arab tennis, and was invited to the maiden edition of the elite event in Riyadh.
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Jabeur admits to being upset at not competing at the event
The former World No.2 stated she was delighted to promote women's sports in Saudi Arabia. However, she revealed it was difficult for her to appear at the event without playing, after having qualified in 2022 and 2023.
"I’m very happy to be here in Riyadh, the WTA Finals is happening here," said Jabeur in an interview with Arab News. "I think it’s a great thing for women’s sport, for Arab women’s sport as well. It’s the biggest event that ever happened for women in Saudi. It’s an amazing step.
"I’m not very happy that I’m not playing, but also at the same time I’m happy that I’m here to check everything out. It will be my motivation to qualify for next year."
"I’m not very happy that I’m not playing, but also at the same time I’m happy that I’m here to check everything out. It will be my motivation to qualify for next year."
After ending her season in September following the Canadian Open, Jabeur admitted to wishing she had done it sooner.
"I listened to my body for sure," she added. "I should have done that way before. But as a professional tennis player, as an athlete, you always try to push yourself to do more. For me, it was a bit tough, and thankfully it wasn’t too late to stop and take a break.
"I’ve learned with my experience and definitely still learning. The most important thing that I have learned is how to listen to my body and to know when to stop, when to take a break. And it’s okay to take a month or two off because it will help you have a deep breath and push for the next tournaments.”
"I’ve learned with my experience and definitely still learning. The most important thing that I have learned is how to listen to my body and to know when to stop, when to take a break. And it’s okay to take a month or two off because it will help you have a deep breath and push for the next tournaments.”
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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