"We both believed in this": Ons Jabeur credits husband for unwavering support during her tennis rise

Ons Jabeur acknowledged that the unconditional support of her husband has been key to this stage of her career, despite many believing she would retire from tennis after marrying Karim Kamoun.

The former world No. 2 married her husband at just 21 years old. He is currently her physiotherapist. The couple continued working together in pursuit of Jabeur’s major goals, and over the years, she became one of the WTA Tour’s most prominent figures.

She won her first and only WTA 1000 title at the 2022 Madrid Open and later reached the final of the Italian Open, falling to Iga Swiatek. So far, she has reached three Grand Slam finals — including the US Open and two-time Wimbledon — but has fallen short each time.

Jabeur spoke about what it has been like to have her husband on her team for so many years and the role he played in helping her become one of the best players in the world: "When we first got married, a lot of people thought I was going to be a stay at home wife, my career would be done.”

However, the beginning of Jabeur's marriage wasn’t easy. She even admitted that things were cold with her husband when they started working together, but despite that, the two are now inseparable. "Deciding to work together was a tough decision. Not a lot of people would understand that. But we got to a point that we knew each other. We communicate. So, from arguing about stupid things to understanding each other more, having deep conversations, that has gotten us to where we are today. And the most thing? We both believed in this personally and professionally.”

The current WTA No. 27 has been trying to return to form. Despite a strong start at the Miami Open, she had to withdraw due to a leg injury. On her X account, she wrote: "Hi everyone! I wanted to update you all on my health. The doctors have identified a small muscle strain, which is good news. This means I'll be able to return to the court as soon as I'm sure my leg is fully recovered. I'm incredibly grateful for all your messages and support. It truly means the world to me. Love Ons."

The former world No. 2 is expected to return to competition at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.