By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday June 27, 2022
Ons Jabeur dropped just four games in her Wimbledon opener.
Photo Source: Getty
A first-round casualty at Roland-Garros after entering the draw with high hopes, Tunisia’s Ons Jabuer has kicked off her Wimbledon in better form. On Monday the newly anointed World No.2 eased past Swedish qualifier Mirjam Bjorkland 6-1, 6-3 in 54 minutes to book her spot in the second round.
On a rainy afternoon in London, Jabeur did her work beneath the roof on No.1 Court, just as play was resuming after a lengthy day on the outer courts.
As a quarterfinalist last year, the No.3 seed enters the tournament with high hopes.
“It’s amazing to come back to Court 1,” Jabeur said. “I want to go as far as I can in this tournament, and dropping four games is a start.”
Jabeur saved both break points she faced and converted four out of seven break opportunities to ease past the World No.125 and set a second-round clash with either Rebecca Marino or Katarzyna Kawa.
The Tunisian won 41 of 62 points that lasted four strokes or less. During the match, only four rallies lasted over eight strokes.
"I learned a lot from the first round in Roland Garros," Jabeur said of her first-round loss to Magda Linette in Paris. "Obviously everything feels different here. I feel like more ready. Starting Monday not Sunday is much better for me. Let's say I opened the Court 1, and it was great."
Jabeur rose to No.2 in the WTA rankings on Monday – she is the highest-ranked Arab and African player in WTA and ATP history.
Riske and Tsurenko Advance
Other early winners on Day 1 were American Alison Riske, a 2019 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, who defeated Ylena In-Albon of Switzerland, 6-2, 6-4. Riske will face Maja Chwalinska of Poland, who picked up her first Grand Slam win against Katerina Siniakova, 6-0, 7-5.
Lesia Tsurenko also advanced, the Ukrainian taking out Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage, 6-2, 6-3.