Ons Jabeur beats Aryna Sabalenka to reach her second Wimbledon final in a row
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Ons Jabeur made an incredible comeback, overcoming a set and a break deficit to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday. This victory secures Jabeur’s spot in the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year.
This remarkable achievement marks the third time Jabeur has reached a Grand Slam title match in the past five tournaments. At 25 years old, she holds the distinction of being the only Arab and North African woman to have made it to a major final.
Although Jabeur has reached the final stage twice before, she has yet to secure a victory. She fell short against Elena Rybakina at the All England Club in July last year and Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open in September.
Jabeur’s triumph over the second-seeded Sabalenka, who was vying for the top spot in the rankings, came after winning an impressive 10 out of the last 13 games. Sabalenka, with a 17-1 record at majors in 2023, including an Australian Open trophy, was eager to claim the No. 1 position.
In the championship match on Saturday, Jabeur will face off against Marketa Vondrousova.
Vondrousova’s victory over Elina Svitolina earlier on Thursday made her the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963. She secured a 6-3, 6-3 win by reeling off seven consecutive games at one point and defending against a brief comeback attempt. Ranked 43rd, Vondrousova reached her second Grand Slam final, following her teenage success at the 2019 French Open.
When asked about her nerves during the match, Vondrousova admitted, “I was crazy nervous. I was nervous, actually, the whole match.” Her emotional reaction after winning was evident as she bowed her head and knelt at the baseline.
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