"I had to take many days to recover and it still wasn't enough" - Ons Jabeur opens up about Wimbledon 2023 final loss & not being afraid to lose again
Ons Jabeur recently opened up about her 2023 Wimbledon final loss and the mental process that it takes to compete at the highest level of the sport.
The Tunisian tennis star suffered a heartbreaking loss at the recently concluded Wimbledon Championships. In the grasscourt Major's summit clash, the No. 6 seed suffered a shock upset at the hands of unseeded Marketa Vondrousova, 6-4, 6-4.
The Tunisian returned to the WTA Tour in the currently ongoing Cincinnati Open.
In a recent press conference at Cincinnati, Ons Jabeur reflected on how the SW19 loss was hard on her. She also addressed the reason behind her absence from the 2023 Canadian Open was to recover and spend quality time with her family.
“I had to take a few days off, many days. I needed to recover and it still wasn't enough. I didn't feel ready to play Montreal because that loss was a bit difficult for me, so I tried to stay home and be with my family," spoke Jabeur.
The World No. 5 stated that mental focus was hard to maintain after securing a semifinal spot or higher in a tournament.
"I think the key right now is not to be afraid to play more finals. You reach a stage where the brain may shut down from the semifinals, where you feel that you may not be ready to play, your head simply takes control," she said.
The 28-year-old vowed not to be afraid of playing another final and accepted to move on if the outcome wasn't favorable.
"For me the key lies there, in not being afraid, I want to play another final again. And if I lose it? It's okay, I'll go back to the same place," she added.
Jabeur has received a first-round bye at the Western & Southern Open and will face Lin Zhu or Anhelina Kalinina in the 2R of the event on Wednesday, August 16.
"I'm still on Ons Jabeur's bandwagon, she's gonna break through and do some damage" - Jimmy Connors
American tennis legend Jimmy Connors heaped praise for Ons Jabeur after the Tunisian secured a final spot in the 2023 Wimbledon.
The World No. 5 reached her third Grand Slam final at SW19 this season. She previously lost two finals in the 2022 season - Wimbledon (lost to Elena Rybakina) and the US Open (lost to Iga Swiatek).
Talking on the "Advantage Connors" podcast, Jimmy Connors expressed his belief in Ons Jabeur and stated that the Tunisian possesses the skill set to do severe damage to some top competitors of the sport.
"I'm still on Jabeur's bandwagon. I think she is going to break through and do some damage. She already does some damage," Connors said.