BNP PARIBAS OPEN

October 15, 2021

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

P. BADOSA/O. Jabeur

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Can you talk us through your match tonight.

ONS JABEUR: She played good. It wasn't my best tennis, but I tried to fight hard, raise the level. Today wasn't my best day. Maybe one of the worst matches that I played.

That's tennis. I tried my best this whole tournament. Hopefully I'll play better in Moscow.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Yesterday you said you were dealing with a lot. Do you feel all that caught up with you? Is it the 48 matches? What was the reason you didn't feel like you were able to play your best today?

ONS JABEUR: I tried to really disconnect from what happened yesterday. A short time of period I played yesterday, I playing today. But, no, actually I tried to not focus on it. I was doing my routine for the same like the whole week.

These kind of matches, happens to me a lot, especially at the end of the tournaments when my body is tired, also when my mind is tired.

Yeah, today I feel like I did something different than other days. I was really fighting hard even though I knew I wasn't playing very well. I just tried. I tried to think. I tried to do whatever in my power. Honestly I don't regret much because today she was a much better player.

It's a good lesson for me. Hopefully I will learn and use it in Moscow.

Q. Seemed like in the opening set you went to the dropshot a lot. Talk through the tactic there, and what adjustments she made to flip that?

ONS JABEUR: She was much more aggressive than me. I was trying to get in the court. I felt like I was going backwards all the time. I was even far away from the baseline, which is not me. Usually I am forward, I go. When I don't find my game, usually I overdo the dropshots.

I wanted to change up the rhythm little bit because she was going so hard. Her ball, I felt it was kind of different than the other opponents that I had. She put little bit of spin. I think that what makes also the difference that it didn't help me to get back in my game. Usually I play with some players, they put more flat balls, except the first round against Sevastova.

Yeah, against these players like Paula, if you don't play well, you really have to find it, otherwise it's too late for you.

Q. She's broken serve 24 times over five matches. Could you talk about what makes it difficult to hold serve against her.

ONS JABEUR: I think the fact that -- there's two reasons. The fact that I didn't serve well. She returns good, but not someone that puts a lot of pressure I got to say. I think also the fact that I had also too many opportunities on her serve and I didn't get them. That also put a lot of pressure on my serve. That didn't help me much. I think I had my opportunities to break her so many times, but unfortunately I didn't do it.

But, yeah, my serve I wasn't patient probably, wanted to finish the point early. She's aggressive, yeah, but maybe I felt also more pressure from Anett than Paula.

Q. You said you're on your way to Moscow. Do you feel like tonight is going to linger with you, something you put behind quickly? Can you appreciate what you accomplished?

ONS JABEUR: A lot of things in very short time. I feel like my goal right now is to recover because I think I play Tuesday, which sucks because I thought I would have a bye. Of course, someone took wild cards in Moscow.

Yeah, I think I have maybe a 10-hour flight. That gives me plenty of time to think about what happened this week. But, yeah, my main goal is to be ready for Moscow. The same goal: Guadalajara. I'm really not far. A lot of things in play. A lot of things depends on Paula right now. Let's see what's going to happen.