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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2020

Ons Jabeur

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

O. JABEUR/Wang Qiang

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You looked so calm. It was the first time at this stage in a slam. Were you as calm as you looked?
ONS JABEUR: Well, I was actually not that nervous as the last matches. She's obviously better ranked than me. We played few times and she won, so less stress.

But I tried to actually win this time because was frustrating every time when she wins very easy. The first set was tricky little bit because I started good, but then went down little bit, couldn't win my serve.

I liked that the court was slow. Gave me more chance to play my game, mix it up little bit. Obviously second set was amazing for me. I was really relaxed. I tried to play my game. I'm happy that I went through.

Q. You're very proud as an African Arab to be playing the game. You talked about being an inspiration to young girls in the region. Do you feel this is going to be an extra motivation for them?
ONS JABEUR: I think so, yeah. Well, I'm trying. I mean, quarterfinals for the first time, trying to inspire many young generation back home either in Tunisia or the Arabic world, especially in Africa, which is amazing.

I mean, it's not impossible. I made it. Like I said before, I've been practicing in Tunisia from the age of 3 through 16 or 17. I'm 100% Tunisian product (smiling).

Q. Had you been at all hoping or expecting to play Serena in this round?
ONS JABEUR: Actually, I wanted to play her, yeah. I was looking forward to play Serena. I mean, Wang also is just an amazing player. Probably she pulled an unbelievable match. I watched a little bit, at the beginning and then at the end.

But then it is what it is. Maybe I can play Serena another time.

Q. Are you getting an idea how big a deal your progress is at home? Is it all over the newspapers and TV? Getting any feel for it?
ONS JABEUR: Apparently, yeah. I'm receiving a lot of messages, especially people waking up at 5 a.m. in the morning to watch my match.

I'm really proud. Hopefully they can still watch me and following more, just not in the Grand Slam but the other tournaments. It will be really amazing.

I hope really I can give a good example. Hopefully I can do more here. Hopefully can go really good.

Q. You talked before about how you've been able to live your dream of playing tennis. When you were dreaming about it, did you see yourself on the tour or winning slams or as a world No. 1? How ambitious was the dream when you were young?
ONS JABEUR: I was really ambitious to win a Grand Slam. I always hoped and dreamed about being able to lift one of the trophies. To be honest, I was dreaming about Roland Garros because it's really close to my country.

I mean, I'm doing amazing here. I'm playing really good. One of my best matches in my career. So really I will hope I'm not stopping here. The journey continues. I'm looking really forward.

Q. You talk about being 100% Tunisian product. At what points in the last 10 years or so were there options or did you think about maybe whether it's going to college in the States, developing your tennis outside of Tunisia? Did you have to make affirmative decisions to keep things in the country? If so, why?
ONS JABEUR: Actually I got a lot of offers to go to college to USA. Wasn't really an option for me. I wanted to really go pro directly. I knew if I play in college, I cannot play professional tournaments.

So I know I had to just take my baccalaureate degree, was my mom forcing me to do that (smiling). I know it's important, education. I agree with my parents, like, 100%. So the deal was to take my baccalaureate degree and really concentrate 100% on tennis. That's what I did.

After actually I was trying to go to few academies. This is when I went to Belgium and then I went to France, like, little bit before. Then I think staying in Tunisia was a good option. I had also different coaches. They were not Tunisians. French mostly, yeah.

Q. You had the success in juniors that you did. From that time period, you've been on tour for a few years now. Did it feel that maybe success like this wouldn't ever come? Has this run for you surprised you?
ONS JABEUR: Actually was a little bit frustrating just after the juniors because I was expecting to go better. Not like lose few years. Like so many players I played with in juniors, I see them, they're like top 50, top 20.

But my game is different. I like to play differently than the other girls. Sometimes I have a lot of choices that I don't know what to do at the end. But I'm happy that it came. I knew it was going to come one day. I just had to be patient, still believe in it.

I won't lie to you guys. Sometimes I kind of lost hope little bit. But then, I mean, I have such a good team behind me, my family, I couldn't stop dreaming about it, so I'm really happy that it came this year.

Q. Talk about tennis in Tunisia. Are there a lot of courts, programs? Did things change at all after your revolution there?
ONS JABEUR: Well, there is a lot of clubs, definitely a lot of courts. Mostly we like to play on clay in Tunisia. A lot of things changed actually when I won the juniors, after 2011. It was little bit tough after the revolution. It was not really safe at the time. Now everything, like, is normal.

We don't have much experience. That's the only thing we don't have. We had, like, Selima Sfar before, top 100, but not many players. But hopefully now we can see more and more. Maybe one day I can share my experience, Malek Jaziri could share his experience with this young generation.

I'm in touch with a lot of players. They ask me what to do sometimes with the program and everything. I'm happy to share. I don't have a lot of experience obviously, but I'm happy to share what I know.

Q. You were mentioning your game is different, maybe took a little bit of time for it to solidify. When you weren't getting the success, do you think you were too stubborn to change your game into something more traditional or was it this was the way you wanted to play, win or lose? How much of it was a commitment or this is just how you do it?
ONS JABEUR: In my life I'm stubborn. I know that. It's not the way to change, but more to improve some stuff, which I was not really lucky before with some coaches. They obviously tried to change my game, which I think was the wrong idea to do that.

Instead of telling me not to do a dropshot, teaching me maybe when to do the dropshot or picking the right time. I proved I can do anything. I can do dropshot, I can go hard, flat, whatever. I just need to focus on one thing. Having too many options wasn't a good idea probably.

I think if I have good strategy and I know what to do, it really helps a lot.

Q. What is your siblings and mom's reaction? Anything you could share that they've told you?
ONS JABEUR: My sister was not happy about the comment I made (laughter).

But I make the joke a few times. She was actually laughing. She appreciated it.

Well, I called my mom right away. She was really, really happy. Probably receiving a lot of calls. My father, as well. I think he was crying, I don't know. Also my two brothers, the one in Germany and the one in France.

The family, everyone was behind me. They couldn't go back to sleep again, of course. But I'm happy that I have this support because we've been through rough times. Now it's finally paying off.

Q. Your next opponent, how do you see that? Will you be able to be as calm in the quarterfinals like you were today?
ONS JABEUR: I hope so, yeah.

We played few times before. Last time she won. She's such an amazing player. She improved a lot through the years. She's an amazing competitor. I saw her actually at the gym. Are you tired or are you sore? She was laughing.

She was like, You look red.

I was like, That's my color.

She's a nice person outside the locker. It's nice to see someone like this. Hopefully it's going to be a good match.

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