Harare — Ons Jabeur just added another remarkable chapter to her groundbreaking career.
With a rousing 6-2 3-6 6-1 victory over Tatjana Maria, the Tunisian lifted the spirits of a whole continent by becoming the first Arab and first African woman to reach the Wimbledon final.
With both players into their first Grand Slam semi-finals, this match-up between two close friends meant only one could continue their remarkable Wimbledon story to July 9.
The 27-year-old has demonstrated her fighting spirit throughout her career.
Although she lost in the opening round of the French Open in May, she came back to win the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles championship in Berlin a few weeks later.
Just two weeks prior, she was forced to withdraw from the Eastbourne event where she was paired with Serena Williams in the doubles due to a knee injury.
Jabeur is has been ranked as high as world No. 2 by the Women’s Tennis Association on June 22, 2022. She’s is the current No. 1 Tunisian player, and the highest-ranked African and Arab tennis player in Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and WTA rankings history.
Nicknamed “the Minister of Happiness” by many Tunisians, Jabeur was born as one of four siblings in the southern seaside town of Ksar Hellal.
By the time she was 13, she had moved to Tunisia’s capital to train at a national sports academy, and by the time she was 16, she had won the junior singles division of the French Open.
She then climbed to the top 100 by the end of 2017, the top 50 by the end of 2020, and the top 10 by the end of 2021.
In July 9’s final, she will face Elena Rybakina who stunned former champion Simona Halep in straight sets to reach a maiden Wimbledon final.