Ons Jabeur
commented that she hopes to rival
Iga Swiatek,
Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena
Rybakina during this season.
Jabeur stood
out in 2021 by entering the top-10, and in 2022, she advanced even further,
becoming world No. 2 and a finalist in two Grand Slams. The Tunisian player has
not maintained her results in the first months of competition, although she
still remains in the top part of the rankings as world No. 5.
The
upcoming weeks will be crucial for Jabeur, as she is one of the players who
defends the most points in the clay court tournaments in Europe. Last year, she
reached the final of the Charleston Open and Rome, as well as winning the
Madrid Open. Therefore, if she fails to defend those points, she faces the
possibility of dropping further in the rankings. Swiatek, Sabalenka, and
Rybakina are currently the most in-form players on the tour and seem to be a
few steps ahead of the rest of the players. Regarding this, Jabeur commented on
her desire to match their level
“Elena won
Wimbledon last year. Aryna struggled a bit last year but she regained her
confidence.”
“Iga is
Iga. I think they have a very powerful game so that’s why it’s great to see
them doing amazing. I think it’s great motivation for all of us. I know what
great players they are and I think it’s fun to challenge them a bit.
I have a
completely different game from them so maybe it’s time that I make trouble for
them a little bit."
The African
player has stood out for a flashy style of play, with creative shots,
especially taking advantage of her slice and excellent dropshot that
characterizes her. Unfortunately, she was unable to play in the Middle Eastern
tournaments due to an injury.
“Brain and
body feel good. I feel like I’m ready here for Miami. The body is getting
there, and I’m really excited. The tennis is there, I just need to gain back
some of the things I was doing before. I also feel my tennis is getting better,
just with the technical things that I’ve been working on with my coach,” said the
Tunisian.
I feel like
this season is just starting now. This is my January,” added Jabeur.