Close as they are, the pair avoided exchanged any glances or chatter.Ĭlose friends, yes. "Coming back after having two babies - I still can't believe how she did it."īefore their semifinal, Jabeur and Maria stood beside each other, waiting to take the walk through the halls of the stadium that lead to the court. "I definitely wanted to share the moment with her at the end, because she's such an inspiration for so many players, including me," Jabeur said. Then, after depositing her racket on the sideline, Jabeur returned to the middle of the court for the usual victor's wave to the crowd - except, instead of going alone, she playfully tugged Maria along with her, an uncommon gesture. Jabeur whispered something in her pal's ear. When she closed out the biggest victory of her career, she and Maria - a 34-year-old mother of two from Germany who is ranked 103th - met at the net for an extended hug. "It's a dream coming true from years and years of work and sacrifice. "I really don't know what to say," Jabeur said through a wide smile. Last year produced all sorts of milestones: first Arab player to break into the top 10 of the men's or women's rankings, first Arab to win a WTA title and a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon. In 2020, at the Australian Open, she became the first Arab woman to reach the quarterfinals at a major. Jabeur has been rising in the tennis world in recent seasons. "I already did a lot," Rybakina said, "and it's just time to enjoy." Jabeur is the first Arab woman to reach a major final. Rybakina is the first Kazakhstan player to reach a major final. This will mark the first Wimbledon final since 1962 featuring two women both appearing in their initial Grand Slam title match.
She now faces Rybakina, who defeated 2019 champion Simona Halep 6-3, 6-3 on Centre Court, for the championship Saturday.īoth the 17th-seeded Rybakina and third-seeded Jabeur are first-time Grand Slam finalists. I just love the game and I want to share this experience with them." I want to see more and more - not just Tunisian - Arab, African players on tour. I just try to inspire, really, as much as I can. "I know in Tunisia, they're going crazy right now.
"I'm a proud Tunisian woman standing here today," Jabeur said. She also is the first Arab woman to get that far. Since pro players were first admitted to major tennis tournaments in 1968, never had an African been to a final.
Jabeur is on quite a run right now: She has won 11 consecutive matches and 22 of her past 24. 3-seeded Jabeur, a 27-year-old from Tunisia, got past her good friend Tatjana Maria 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 in an up-and-down semifinal at a sun-splashed Centre Court on Thursday. Her win Thursday at Wimbledon earned her a spot against Elena Rybakina. LONDON - Ons Jabeur's historic run of success continues, as she becomes the first woman from Africa to make a singles final of a Grand Slam in the professional era.
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