It could now be a cursed lawn, a place synonymous with nightmare for Ons Jabeur. However, although beaten twice in a row in the final, by Elena Rybakina in 2022 then Marketa Vondrousova last year, the Tunisian set foot there a few days ago with still the same immense pleasure and the desire still intact and intense to see herself, one day finally, crowned on the Center Court of the All England Club.
Caught up in the stress and panic before the final against the Czech player last summer, emotionally devastated afterwards, Jabeur, who will open her tournament on Tuesday against the Japanese Moyuka Uchijima (68th in the world), has forgotten nothing, but the magic of the place still works. “It’s one of the hardest losses I’ve ever had and it took me a while to get over it.”confessed Jabeur.
But his love for Wimbledon has not dried up. Quite the contrary. “My feelings about Wimbledon have become even stronger after last year. After that experience, winning this tournament has become even more of a challenge. Even when I play on a hard court, I see green everywhere. I love grass. I feel a connection with the grass and with the place. I love everything about Wimbledon.”
