Jabeur expressed disappointment after losing in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row, while Vondrousova described her victory as “impossible” due to her previous injuries.
Ons Jabeur shared an emotional moment with the Princess of Wales, offering reassurance and open arms after her loss in the Wimbledon final to Marketa Vondrousova.
Last year, the Tunisian tennis player had a disappointing exchange with Kate Middleton after being denied victory at the All England Club by Elena Rybakina.
Jabeur acknowledged that her loss to Vondrousova in the 2022 Wimbledon final was the most painful defeat of her career, considering her previous runner-up finish at the US Open.
The aspiring tennis player received encouraging words as she continues her pursuit of her first ever Grand Slam victory.
“Same thing after last year,” she said of the message from the Princess of Wales. “To encourage me to be strong, to come back and win a Grand Slam, win a Wimbledon. Obviously she was very nice.
“She didn’t know if she wants to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me. That was a very nice moment and she’s always nice to me.”
Jabeur discussed the examples of Chrissie Evert, Simona Halep, and Kim Clijsters, who all experienced early Grand Slam final defeats before achieving later success. Jabeur clarified that Clijsters lost her first four finals before securing multiple major titles.
“We were crying together at the locker room,” smiled Jabeur.
“I love Kim so much. She’s a great inspiration for me. I grew up watching her a bit. The fact that she takes the time to give me advice and to really hug me, always be there for me, I think it’s priceless.
“Yeah, she was telling me all the time she lost four. That’s why I know the information, otherwise would have been tough. But, yeah, that’s the positive out of it. You cannot force things. It wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t meant to be.”
Jabeur’s rise to prominence has brought about increased expectations and support from Arab and North African fans, as she aspires to make history by winning a Grand Slam title.
Vondrousova celebrated her victory while Jabeur was left disappointed, reflecting on missed opportunities. Nevertheless, Jabeur remains determined despite the defeat.
“I’ve been having more pressure. The more good results that I do, the more pressure I feel,” she said. “But it is what it is. Like I said, I cannot force anything right now. It wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t.
“Definitely this match, last year’s match, the final of the US Open, will teach me how to win these finals. Will definitely keep learning, keep being positive. I think that’s the thing that will keep me going. Otherwise, if I’m going to be depressed about it, it’s not going to help much. I’ll try to stay positive.
“I felt I was doing everything right. Again, with the same thing that happened last year… It’s painful because you feel so close to achieving something that you want, and actually back to square one. Again, just try to get rid of these negative thoughts and continue being positive.”
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