Ons Jabeur of Tunisia walks on court during her match against Varvara Gracheva of France at the women's first round singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, June 30, 2025. AP
The 30-year-old tennis star recently made a tearful first-round exit at Wimbledon as she was forced to retire injured during her match against Viktoriya Tomova.
The world No. 71 has become a fan favorite on British soil, reaching the Wimbledon final in both 2022 and 2023 but losing to Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova, respectively.
These performances, along with her run to the US Open final in 2022, underscored her status as a trailblazer in women’s tennis, uniting fans across Britain and beyond.
Her pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam victory, however, has been marred by injury woes and fluctuating form, leading to her decision to step away from the court temporarily.
"For the past two years, I've been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges," she said in a statement on social media. "But deep down, I haven't truly felt happy on the court for some time now.
"Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it's time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy of simply living.
"Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always.
"Even while I'm away from the court, I'll continue to stay close and connected in different ways, and share this journey with you all. Ons."
As a trailblazer in women's tennis, Jabeur is the first African and Arab woman to compete in a major singles final and became the highest-ranked African and Arab player in ATP and WTA history when she reached No. 2 in 2022.
She had emerged as a must-see attraction on both routes to the final at the All England Club with her daring drop shots.
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