By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, July 2, 2021
Ons Jabeur soared past Garbine Muguruza 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to make history as the first Arab woman in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon fourth round.
Photo credit: Getty
Tennis trailblazer Ons Jabeur cut a creatively historic path through the Centre Court grass.
In her Centre Court debut, Jabeur withstood Garbine Muguruza's flat strikes, a one-set deficit and a queasy stomach—she vomited on court at match point—soaring to a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over the 2017 champion to make history as the first Arab woman in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon fourth round.
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"This is the best day of my career," a beaming Jabeur said after improving to 32-11 on the season. "I was a bit nervous today. She plays unbelievable on grass, it was difficult in the first set but after the second second set I tried to stay more calm and enjoying playing here.
"I was more aggressive and trying to do some drop shots and sometimes when I play loose and good that's when my forehand gets better and everything gets better."
It is Jabeur's ninth win in her last 10 grass-court matches as the role model for Arab women continues to achieve major milestones. Two weeks ago, Jabeur defeated Dara Kasatkina in the Birmingham final to make history as the first Arab player to win a WTA title.
Today, Jabeur unleashed a whirlwind of brilliant shot-making, striking 43 winners, including bending a forehand winner around the net post. Persistently pressuring the former world No. 1 's serve, Jabeur earned 29 break-point chances, deployed a disorientating drop shot 30 times in the match, fired her forehand with menace and sped through a 16-points surge to take command of the decider.
It all added up to a two hour, 25-minute triumph that left Centre Court fans, including Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, serenading Jabeur with a well-earned ovation.
"It means a lot. Especially so many Arab people watching me and supporting me," Jabeur said. "I've received a lot of message from different people. It's amazing. But I don't want the journey to stop here. I want to continue.
"I'm doing amazing. I'm getting more and more confident on the court. I mean, hopefully whoever is watching, I hope that so many young generation is watching, and I can inspire them. Hopefully one day I could be playing with a lot of [Arab] players next to me."
The 21st-seeded Tunisian has knocked off two Grand Slam champions in succession—Venus Williams and Muguruza—and will face 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek for a spot in the quarterfinals. Earlier, the seventh-seeded Swiatek stormed through seven games in a row thrashing Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1, 6-0. Swiatek has surrendered just 13 games in three tournament victories.
Former No. 1 Muguruza fought hard, but fell the court a couple of times chasing Jabeur's drop shots and her forehand betrayed her in the final set as Jabeur asserted all-court aggression winning 18 of 22 net points.
"I have had so many opportunities in this match that, it's a little disappointing from my side because I couldn't convert them," said Muguruza, who was three-of-12 on break-point chances. "Especially in the second set I felt like I should have dominate more in these moments and take the advantage, and I couldn't.
"She had a very good momentum. Afterwards I felt like she strike very well and her shots and her trick shots were, you know, happening and she was confident. So I felt like it just changed in one second."
Muguruza's departure leaves Angelique Kerber as the lone former champion still standing. The 25th-seeded Kerber, who warmed up for Wimbled winning her 13th title on the grass of Bad Homburg, will play Aliaksandra Sasnovich for a spot in the fourth round.
Dropping her serve at love to open, a jittery Jabeur soon settled in with an eye-popping forehand she wrapped around the net post.
Muguruza spun a backhand return winner down the line breaking for 5-4. Serving for the set, the Spaniard ran into a variety of issues—she slipped near the service line twice, tumbled to the court once and coughed up two double faults—as Jabeur used the drop shot to defuse the big hitter. Muguruza fought off five break points, but dragged a forehand wide on the sixth break point as Jabeur leveled.
The two-time Grand Slam champion sported a streak of white paste on her right leg from her fall, but broke right back for 6-5 when Jabeur netted a drop shot and berated herself for that transgression.
Serving for the set again, Muguruza laced an ace and sealed an exciting 56-minute opener when Jabeur was handcuffed by a wide serve.
The 21st-seeded Tunisian hit two more winners in the set, outplayed Muguruza for stretches, but converted just two of 12 break points and came up short in the set.
The first Arab player to win a WTA title on the grass of Birmingham last month showed plenty of grit and glide in the second set. Jabeur made a slick mini-dive inside the service line nudging a drop volley winner to threaten Muguruza's serve in the eighth game. A Muguruza backhand error gave Jabeur the break and a 5-3 second-set lead.
Digging out of a love-40 hole, Jabeur amped up her serve driving her first deliver down the middle. Jabeur fought off all three break points then slashed a serve down the middle for set point. A rattled Muguruza missed a forehand as Jabeur jumped with excitement forcing a final set.
Though Muguruza carried much more Centre Court experience, Jabeur was in free flow firing through 16 straight points as she broke to start the decider and pumped another ace down the middle capping her second consecutive love game for 2-0.
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The former world No. 1 fell into another triple-break point hole in the third game. Muguruza made a vital stand saving six break points in all to get on the board in the final set.
Undeterred, Jabeur continued to mix her spins and speed, sliding low slices then hammering her forehand into Muguruza's forehand. Jabeur smacked successive forehand winners converting her fifth break point for 4-1.
When Muguruza put a backhand into net, Jabeur had a match point, but was troubled by a churning stomach. The Tunisian went back to the back wall and vomited before committing an error.
"I'm actually having a problem with my stomach. I have inflammation," Jabeur said. "It has been going on for a while. Yeah, it bothers me probably with the stress, fatigue, everything.
"Sometimes when I drink water, the water doesn't go through any more. That's why I get sick. Honestly, I don't want to interrupt the players, so I try to get rid of it and just continue playing...I am okay. I just have to throw up."
Settling herself, Jabeur jammed a service winner for a second match point. Fending off everything Muguruza threw at her, Jabeur stayed calm and slashed one final forehand down the line then dropped flat on her back in celebration rising in pure joy.