"I am a little sad for Ons Jabeur" - Aryna Sabalenka reflects on QF win as Tunisian seems to injure her foot in Cincinnati Open match
Aryna Sabalenka stated that she felt a tad sad for Ons Jabeur after knocking her out from the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open. After reaching the semifinals of the competition with a straight-sets 7-5, 6-3 victory, Sabalenka looked back on her quarterfinal match and wished Jabeur good luck for the upcoming US Open.
Sabalenka praised Jabeur's hard work throughout the match. Amidst her happiness and excitement about progressing to the semifinals, the Belarusian went on to emphasize how tricky it is to face Jabeur.
Sabalenka felt a bit sad for Jabeur as despite starting tournaments positively, the Tunisian hasn't been able to convert them into title triumphs. Sabalenka also stated that 'Jabeur' annoys her a lot and pushes her to the limits every time the two lock horns.
The recent win was sweet revenge for Sabalenka, who lost to Jabeur in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships semifinals by a 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 scoreline.
“I’m a little sad for Ons. I really hope she’ll recover soon & be ready for the US Open. She’s such an unbelievable player. She annoys me a lot… in a good way. Really tricky opponent. Super happy I was able to win this match," Sabalenka said during herspost-match on-court interview.
How have Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur fared against each other in the past?
Whenever Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur have faced one another, it has been an absolute treat for tennis fans. With their first meeting ranging way back at the 2020 French Open, Jabeur emerged victorious to start a new rivalry.
Aryna Sabalenka avenged her Roland Garros loss by defeating Jabeur in their next three meetings. The Belarusian beat Jabeur 6-2. 6-4 at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Open, followed by a 6-4, 6-3 victory at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. Then, at the 2022 WTA Finals, Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Jabeur once again, beating the Tunisian 6-3, 6-7, 5-7.
Jabeur returned to winning ways against Sabalenka at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships by knocking the latter out of the semifinals. Jabeur came from a set down to clinch the win and progress to her first-ever Wimbledon final, where she lost to Marketa Vondrousova.