THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2022

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/D. Parry

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Ons, talk us through your match today.

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, great match for me. Great start. I'm feeling even better on grass right now. Hopefully will be even better for the next matches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've played about three hours across these three matches. You must be feeling pretty fresh.

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, I mean, I hope so. It wasn't honestly easy to go down like every time when she slices. It's not that easy.

But I love playing here. I want to keep it as short as I can. For now I'm just enjoying really playing on grass.

Q. How much have you got to come? You don't seem like you've got out of second gear yet really.

ONS JABEUR: Honestly it's tricky. Those few rounds is always tricky. I want to play my best tennis. Obviously if you're too comfortable, it's not that good as well. I'm trying to keep focused. I'll have even more difficult match for the next one.

But I'm always ready. I'm just trying to play my game and keep it as simple as possible, for sure.

Q. Where has the nickname 'Minister of Happiness' come from?

ONS JABEUR: I don't know. Tunisians, they came up with that I think few years ago, one or two years ago. Funny because a minister in Tunisia comes like, Hello, Minister. It was funny, but it's nice to be called that.

Tunisians are really amazing, really appreciate their support.

Q. Are they calling you that purely because you are making them happy back home?

ONS JABEUR: Yes. It wasn't easy back home for some situations, but they think when they watch my matches, I bring happiness. That's why they call me that.

Q. Do you feel that expectation from not just Tunisia but the whole of Africa?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, everybody is following me, expecting me to do better and better. I hope I continue being that person that gives them what they're expecting for.

I'm just trying my best to break records, to really open the path for the next generation.

Q. No African woman has won Wimbledon I'm pretty sure. What would that mean to you?

ONS JABEUR: It would mean a lot for me, for my family, for my country, just to keep proving what I want to prove since ever, that nothing is impossible and if you put something in your mind, you can achieve it.

Q. One year ago you won your first title on the tour. Now you're No. 2 in the world. Take us through this trip.

ONS JABEUR: I think that title opened a great path for me. I was waiting for that one for a long time. I knew I could always play good on grass - any other surface, to be honest with you. Just like the wait was over. I wanted to be a top-10 player, then I achieved that. I wanted to win more titles, and it's still coming.

It's like some goals, like it keeps coming up. I try to check the list every time.

Q. Do you have a reason why it took so long to win the first one?

ONS JABEUR: For sure there is so many reasons. One of them may be with my style of game, adapting to the pro tour, it's tough. Having maybe a lot of choices tactically, it's tough. Believing more in my game was little bit tough at the beginning because I couldn't find the coach that could push me to believing more in my game. Always is something wrong, they don't want me to do this or that.

Then I surround myself by great people, a coach who always believed in me, my family always pushed me. You keep failing, then you rise at some point.

Q. Now No. 1 is the goal?

ONS JABEUR: For sure. That's the main goal now. I want to win my first Grand Slam first, then see what happen after.

Q. Are you saying we are now seeing you play the tennis you want to play?

ONS JABEUR: Well, it's never the exact. I like to see the perfect tennis, no mistakes or anything. But I am playing the tennis that I love to see. Obviously there's few things to improve. I want to be challenged for the next round, for sure, and see how I handle that pressure.

For me, sometimes I start playing not so good. I feel like at the end of the tournament I start playing better and better. When I get more matches and I get used to the courts, to the environment here, I think I start to play better.

But, no, I still want a little bit more.

Q. How does the fact that there are no ranking points affect your state of being, if at all?

ONS JABEUR: Honestly I got over that since they announced there is no points. I always try to see the positive side of it. Ranking-wise it does affect me. I know there is more to come.

Like I said, if I win this one, I'll be the only player who won a Grand Slam without points.

Q. (Question about playing possibly on Centre Court.)

ONS JABEUR: I love the Centre Court. I love playing here. The environment, it feels cozy. It's not too big, it's not too small. It's the perfect amount of, like, seeing everything. Love the crowd. Love how they're very passionate about tennis here.

It's just like, you know, everything: I try to make good shots so I stay in the highlights sometimes. Really great to come back here and play on Centre Court.