Before even reaching 30 years old, Ons Jabeur has already made an undeniable mark on history. Considered as the best Arab player and the greatest African tennis player of all time, Jabeur’s solid determination and lifelong hard work brought her to the top. The three-time Tunisian Olympian has not only made a name for herself in the athletic sphere, but has also been dubbed several nicknames – Ons Jabeur is the Minister of Happiness, the Trailblazer from Tunisia, and even Roger Federer.
Jabeur started playing tennis at the age of three when her mother’s interest in the sport inspired her to hold her own racket. Her exposure to tennis brought her from her hometown of Sousse to the country’s capital to study and to pursue tennis. She recalls that it was difficult for her to be away from her home at such a young age while consistently training for long hours. However challenging it was, Jabeur also believes that the hardships that she endured were necessary for her to become the woman that she is today.
Ons Jabeur’s journey is a testament to how discipline and perseverance will make one defy all odds. In 2011, she became the first African champion to win the French Open in 55 years, and the first Northern African to win a Junior Grand Slam title. In 2012, she began her professional career in Doha. In 2014, Jabeur won her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in Portugal after beating player Maria Joao Koehler.
So far, Ons Jabeur has won three WTA singles in her career: the first was in Birmingham, England in June 2021, the second was at the Madrid Open in May 2022, and the third was in Berlin on grass in June 2022.
Admittedly, Jabeur wanted to reach number 1 in the world in 2022. While she is yet to achieve this feat, Jabeur has already brought honor to Arab women and players all over the world after being the first Arab player to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon since 1974 and after reaching a career-high ranking of No 2 on June 27, 2022. Now, she is the highest-ranked Arab player in history.
Jabeur recognizes that she is not only a tennis player, but she is also an ambassador for her country and an inspiration for youth and women. She wants to show that nothing is impossible, it’s no wonder she was granted the Arab Woman of the Year Award in 2019.
After finishing as runner-up at Wimbledon this year, she expressed her desire to meet Tunisians to be inspired to continue and improve in her tennis journey. Not to worry, Ons Jabeur - the Tunisians are here to support you all the way through wins and losses. Tunisia honored Jabeur with a postal stamp which featured the tennis superstar with a caption that perfectly summarized her life and career:
"Born on August 28, 1994 in Ksar Hlal, Monastir, Ons Jabeur is a professional tennis player, who has achieved unprecedented sports achievements at the national, Arab, African and world levels."
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