PARIS (Reuters) – Tunisian Ons Jabeur has been marked as one of the large threats to world primary Iga Swiatek on the French Open this yr and the 27-year-old is actually not missing in perception.
Currently ranked at a career-high sixth, Jabeur received 11 straight matches earlier than falling to 2020 Roland Garros winner Swiatek within the last of the WTA 1000 occasion in Rome final week.
It was the twenty eighth consecutive victory for Swiatek, who is taken into account an awesome favorite to raise the Suzanne Lenglen Cup for a second time on the Parisian clay this yr.
But no participant has received extra matches on clay this yr than Jabeur, who triumphed on the Madrid Open and was additionally runner-up within the WTA 500 clay occasion in Charleston.
“I stand by what I stated earlier, that you must consider that you may win towards gamers which have nice momentum like Iga proper now,” Jabeur informed reporters on Friday.
“But crucial factor is to deal with your self reasonably than who you’re taking part in. If you’re taking part in an incredible participant you can begin being burdened or overwhelmed with the picture of that participant. I believe everyone has to deal with their self and consider they’ll beat nice gamers.”
Jabeur stated her predominant objective was to make it to the second week of the claycourt main and she or he might be glad if she managed to achieve the semi-finals in Paris.
She credited her improved health for her current outcomes and stated she wished three issues from tennis initially of the season: to be high 5, win extra titles, and win a Grand Slam.
“I’m getting there in all these three,” she stated with a smile. “But I do not need to put the dangerous strain on myself that I’ve to do it this yr.
“But I all the time consider that I can win a Grand Slam, and I really feel like this season may very well be the precise one hopefully. I’m placing it on the market, simply in case.”
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; modifying by Martyn Herman)
