"Shocked to see... Care to explain?" - Ons Jabeur calls out ITF for canceling tournaments in her hometown Monastir
Ons Jabeur has spoken up for the welfare of her fellow players after the abrupt cancellation of ITF events in her country. The Tunisian was left shocked by the ITF's decision and demanded answers from the organization's top brass.
Tunisia has hosted ITF tournaments for various categories in 2024. The city of Monastir has served as the location for women's (W15, W35) and men's (M15, M25) ITF tournaments every week this year and has attracted several young talents from across the world. The 2024 ITF schedule for Monastir was set to continue till the end of the year. However, ITF has canceled tournaments in Monastir for December, leaving many players in the lurch. The city hosted eight ITF events in December 2023.
Over 60 players co-signed a letter urging the ITF to reverse its decision and hold the tournaments. In the letter, the players noted that Monastir's pleasant climate and exceptional facilities make it a suitable location to hold events in December. Moreover, these tournaments help boost tennis' popularity locally and are crucial for players to grow their careers.
Tunisia's most recognizable tennis star, Ons Jabeur, was saddened by the incident and shared an image of the letter on her social media handle. The former World No. 2 often prepares during the pre-season in Monastir and echoed the players' concerns. She demanded answers from ITF President David Haggerty regarding the cancellation of December tournaments, noting that players rely on these competitions to get their rankings up.
"Monastir where I do my preparation is a Tennis heaven with future champions playing ITF events. Shocked to see that events have been cancelled in December! Players are struggling already and working hard to get their ranking up! Care to explain @ITFTennis @HaggertyTennis?" she tweeted.
Apart from ITF tournaments, Monastir has also become home to a WTA Tour event over the last three years.
Ons Jabeur participated in her maiden WTA Tour tournament in Tunisia in 2022
WTA holds two 250-level tournaments in Africa in Rabat, Morocco, and Monastir, Tunisia. The Tour has been hosting a tournament in Morocco since 2001 and Rabat took over the hosting rights in 2016.
Meanwhile, Monastir is a relatively recent entrant on the WTA Tour calendar. The event is called Jasmin Open, and its inaugural edition was held in 2022. Tunisia's most successful tennis player, Ons Jabeur, has played an instrumental role in bringing the tournament to life.
Jabeur was the top seed at the 2022 Jasmin Open and reached the quarterfinals. She has not participated in the Jasmin Open over the last two years. Elise Mertens was the title holder at the Jasmin Open in 2022 and 2023, and Sonay Kartal won the trophy this year.