"Wish I can exchange this match for last year's final" - Ons Jabeur jokes after avenging Wimbledon final defeat to Elena Rybakina
Sixth seed Ons Jabeur booked her place in the Wimbledon semifinals for the second year in a row by beating defending champion and third seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals.
Jabeur, who lost to Rybakina in last year's final at the grass-court Major, came back from a set down to win 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1.
"It's frustrating, you know, to return (her serve), but I'm glad I did everything, shouted, got angry, then got calm and focused and hopefully, you know, I can keep managing my emotions like this for the next few matches," Jabeur said in her on-court interview afterwards.
The Tunisian also joked that she wanted to exchange this victory for last year's Wimbledon final.
"You know, it's, it's not easy, always playing her, but I wish we can exchange this match from the finals last year if I can," Jabeur said.
The 28-year-old's win over Rybakina sees her head-to-head against the Kazakh tied at 2-2. Her 2023 season win-loss record currently stands at 21-9. Jabeur's only title this year came at the Charleston Open, where she beat Belinda Bencic in the final.
Ons Jabeur will face Aryna Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinals
Ons Jabeur will next face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semifinals. It will be the fifth meeting between the two, with Sabalenka leading 3-1 in the head-to-head.
Jabeur beat the Belarusian when she faced her for the first time at the 2020 French Open. However, Sabalenka has come out on top in each of the next three matches, the last of which came at the 2022 WTA Finals.
The two also locked horns at Wimbledon before, in the quarterfinals in 2021, with the Belarusian winning 6-4, 6-3.
Jabeur said in her post-match press conference that her semifinal against Sabalenka would be a very difficult one and similar to her battle against Rybakina.
"It's going to be very difficult match. Probably her shouting that way, me shouting this way. For me it's going to be very similar to today. I'm going to try my best to stay focused and take every opportunity. Aryna is more emotional than Elena, so maybe it could be a good or bad thing, I'm not sure. But let's see tomorrow," Jabeur said.
The winner of the clash will then face either Elina Svitolina or Marketa Vondrousova in the Wimbledon final on Saturday.