BNP PARIBAS OPEN

October 12, 2021

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/A. Kalinskaya

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Ons, can you walk us through your match tonight.

ONS JABEUR: Great match for me. I really loved the way I was playing. I covered all the courts. I played all the angles. That was the plan from the beginning.

I know she runs really well, she gets every ball. So I'm pretty happy with my performance. Hopefully this level can help me play even better in the next matches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations for the milestone of becoming a member of the top 10.

ONS JABEUR: Thank you.

Q. Tonight do you feel like this is just the beginning of something big for yourself?

ONS JABEUR: Of course, I mean, it's a dream coming true. It's something that I've been waiting for for a long time. Obviously I didn't get the breakthrough just after the juniors, which is completely okay with me. It wasn't at the beginning, to be honest. But the way it is, I took my time, I had to understand better the tour. It's not easy coming and playing like I'm playing right now.

I am happy that it's finally there. It's been my goal, I said it from the beginning of the season, that I want to be top 10. There is so many thing I want to improve, and still improving. This is just the beginning of so many great things.

I know I am reaching my goals right now, but I feel there is a lot of hard work that I need to do still.

Q. A couple of messages from Tunisian fans. They were saying they set their alarms to 4:30 in the morning to watch you. How aware are you of that kind of support from Tunisia? Do you feel it?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, I've been away. Like you could see in Montreal, a lot of Tunisians. Everywhere I go. New York, here. The support is unbelievable. I can read, like, few messages. I saw that people were waking up. Thank God I won. I didn't make them regret waking up early.

It's unbelievable the support that I get. Really I cannot wait to go home and be around Tunisians. Honestly, not just from Tunisian fans, but from all over the world. Getting recognized even more and more in the States. It's unbelievable. I never thought that could happen.

I'm pretty happy and proud and hopefully I can continue playing even better and achieving my goals.

Q. The commentator said that your dropshot is the best she's seen of all time, men or women. Is there anyone out there who you think has a better dropshot than you?

ONS JABEUR: Well, there is obviously so many, but I don't think they do dropshot as much as I do it on tour. That's why they don't see it.

I think Roger has an unbelievable, like, slice and dropshot. He can make dropshots anytime. Some people were comparing us in Wimbledon especially when they saw the clip of me slicing. Of course, you cannot compare. They said kind of the style of Federer, which I'm really honored to be compared to him.

Yeah, I love Roger's dropshot and slices.

Q. As you look towards the next coming year, where do you want your game to go not necessarily in terms of ranking but the evolution?

ONS JABEUR: There is a lot of things, to be honest. I feel like I need to have a strong weapon, a weapon that it cannot be -- even the tough moments it's there, it's going to give me points. The situation doesn't make that weapon, like, go away or not.

For me, the first two things that I can think of is my serve and my forehand. I want them to be as strong as possible, like whatever situation it is, whatever day I'm having, I need to have my weapons ready for the game. I need to be able to manage.

I feel like all the top 10, everybody has something. For me, I want to have those two.

Q. Beyond your game, what do you want people to remember about you?

ONS JABEUR: I want them to remember my smile, to be honest, on the court. Whatever you're going to achieve in tennis, I think everybody going to remember the personality and the person you were.

For me, I like to smile all the time. I like to be around the fans. It's unbelievable. I love to be that person. I love to one day share my experience with the next generation. Yeah, I'm going to keep smiling whatever the results is. I thinks that my signature.

Q. Facing Kontaveit who hasn't lost a set in nine matches, playing well. Talk about how tough of a match that would be and what you think is the key.

ONS JABEUR: Expecting a very tough match. Last time we played was in Cincinnati, but now I feel like Anett is different player, more confident right now. She's playing unbelievable. I watched her when she won the title in Ostrava.

It's not going to be an easy match. I will have to play my game. I will have to change up the rhythm. Honestly, I will try to have fun on the court. She's been playing so good, accepting every winner she's going to put on the court. She's an unbelievable player and a friend on tour. Such a great friend to have her.

It's going to be a great battle. Whatever is going to happen, I'm going to do my best. If I win or if she wins, I'll be really happy for her.

Q. You have been leading the tour in match wins, your 47th. How much does it feel like you have 47 match wins physically in good and bad ways?

ONS JABEUR: I start feeling it I think towards Chicago or, like, here. When I came to play here, physically and mentally you're a little bit tired. But I am glad that I had enough experience to manage my schedule, that I didn't go to Europe and come back, and that I had like two weeks really preparing. I think it helped me much kind of take a small break and at the same time practicing.

But, yeah, this is a lifetime chance for me. I never had this long season. I am racing to go to Guadalajara. I think I'm going to tell myself to suck it up and just play the rest of the matches and go there and give hundred percent.

Q. Would you say you made some discoveries about playing in these conditions or is your success here a product of your level of game?

ONS JABEUR: Sorry? I didn't...

Q. Have you made some adjustments or some discoveries about playing at Indian Wells in these tricky conditions?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, a lot of changes starting from yesterday with the wind. I think I adapted really well to the wind. Old me would have been frustrated more. The balls are super heavy after few games. The courts are really, really slow.

But I'm trying to really represent the player I am, the ranking that I'm having right now, be able adapt to whatever situation it is. It comes with a lot of experience. I'm really happy that I'm aware of those changes, that I'm doing something about it.