Ons Jabeur starts early comeback phase following birth of first son

Ons Jabeur has begun preparations for her return to professional tennis following nearly a year away from the WTA Tour, marking the first visible step in a comeback that currently has no confirmed return date.

The Tunisian player stepped away from competition after withdrawing in the first round of Wimbledon 2025, later announcing her pregnancy in November 2025 and pausing her career to focus on family life. She has now shared images of early gym sessions as she gradually reintroduces training work.

Her son, Elyan Kammoun, was born on April 20, marking a key personal milestone during her time away from the circuit. Since then, less than two months have passed, and the former world No. 2 is already working in the gym with the aim of regaining physical condition and returning to competition.

The return remains in an early phase, with no official timeline set for a competitive comeback. However, a few months ago she outlined her long-term intention to extend her career, saying: “I want to give myself time to see how my body reacts," the 31-year-old player said to Vogue Arabia. "I don’t want to rush. But I would definitely like to return to the circuit and compete for a few more years.”

The three-time Grand Slam finalist, including at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023 as well as the US Open in 2022, was not coming off a strong stretch of results when she announced her break from tennis. After several seasons as a consistent title contender, the Tunisian gradually lost prominence on tour.

From early 2024 onwards, Jabeur appeared to lose the level of consistency that had made her one of the most recognisable players on the WTA Tour. The former world No. 2 suffers from asthma and experienced breathing difficulties at the Australian Open 2024, followed by a series of injuries throughout the season.

Her 2024 results were irregular, and by 2025 she had experienced a significant drop in the rankings. First-round defeats at Roland Garros and Wimbledon were her final tournaments before announcing a break from her career. It was shortly afterwards that she confirmed her pregnancy with her husband, Karim Kamoun, who has worked as her physiotherapist for several years.

"Back to work, with a little more love in my heart than before," posted the former world no. 2 alongside few pictures at the gym.