Jabeur makes Wimbledon history for Arab women by sealing last-eight spot

Ons Jabeur in action during her fourth round match against Poland's Iga Swiatek - Reuters

LONDON (Reuters): Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a dazzling 5-7 6-1 6-1 victory over seventh seed Iga Swiatek on Monday.

Jabeur lost four games in a row from a position of strength to concede the opening set on Court Two but responded in sensational fashion to outplay last year’s French Open champion.

The 26-year-old has now beaten three Grand Slam champions so far here, taking out five-time Wimbledon winner Venus Williams and Spain’s Garbine Muguruza during her impressive run.

In doing so she has endeared herself to the Wimbledon crowds with a wily game full of variety but also power when required.

Jabeur will contest her second Grand Slam quarter-final on Tuesday against Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka, having reached her first in Australia in 2020.

While that was viewed as a surprise, even by herself, the Tunis-based player has reached at least the third round of every subsequent Grand Slam tournament and became the first Arab woman to win a WTA title on the Birmingham lawns last month.

“It was a great feeling back in Australia in 2020. I wasn’t expecting to be in the quarter-finals that time,” she said.

“This time is different. This time I’ve been going to the second week almost every Grand Slam. So I think everybody was kind of expecting me to be in the second week.

“My goal is to break this quarter-final and be able to go to the semi and why not the final? I’m enjoying my time here in Wimbledon, enjoying the grass a lot.”