US OPEN

September 6, 2022

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/A. Tomljanovic

6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Two tough sets. Hour and 40 minutes on the court. Efficient. Assess your performance as you move on.

ONS JABEUR: You know, it's never easy to play Ajla. I knew I was coming to play a physical match.

It was a good first set, and was hoping to win more easy on the second set, but it's me, you know, I just like the suspense. I like to take it to the tiebreak (smiling). But I'm glad that I got the win and hopefully will continue and play even better for the next matches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Before the tournament, you said that in your mind you would consider it a successful tournament if you...

ONS JABEUR: I knew you were going to ask this question.

Q. What does it mean to you to set these high targets and actually back it up and do it?

ONS JABEUR: You know me. I have to say things out loud and kind of manifest them in my way. Yeah, I am very satisfied with the semifinal, but now, to answer your question again, only two matches left. I'm going to give it all.

You know, just I'm very happy that I could adapt very fast on the hard court. The most important thing for me is really proving to myself that I could play on any surface. That's very, very important for me and for my confidence.

Q. In the second set you were down 5-3, and you had a tough tiebreak that could have gone either way. Obviously you have a lot of flair and different shots in your game. How pleased are you in showing discipline and not giving much away in those big moments?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, the second set was very tough, especially with not serving very well. That didn't help me to back up few breaks that I got.

When she broke me at 4-3, I was, like, I should really stay focused, and if I get angry, it's not going to do me very well. It was a successful game. I was thinking, you know, I think I just won one game at that time with my serve, and I was, like, You have to really just fight for it.

The most frustrating thing is I had like game points, and I didn't like seize the moment. For me, I was, like, Just keep going. 5-All. I was trying to make it to the tiebreak.

Q. If it's Coco Gauff that you play next, how would you describe the matches you have had so far? What do you think of her development to this point?

ONS JABEUR: I have learned a lot from playing Coco from the beginning. You know, it was very tough matches. But I think I have pretty good idea how to play her right now. I think she is really a young, talented player.

I remember how, like, she started playing and all the media was really interested in her. I feel like she handled that very well.

You know, she's not really the young, you know, player coming up. She's someone that is looking forward to win Grand Slams. I said that before. I think she will win any Grand Slam. I know she can do it. It's just a matter of time.

I'm very happy with the way she handled it, you know, coming up very young and being successful and now being here. I think she deserves her spot very well.

Q. And the key for you, do you think, against her?

ONS JABEUR: I keep it for myself so she doesn't look at the press conference and see (smiling).

No, but we played each other a couple of times. I know she knows how to play me. I know how to play her very well.

For me, I'm just trying to play my game. You know, at this stage, it's a semifinal, so there is a lot of stress there that she, if she wins, she wants to play the final in her country, which is understandable. So for me there is a lot of things, if I'm going to play against her, not just against her but also against the crowd at certain times, you know.

Q. Can you give us more details about your admiration for Gabriela Sabatini? Have you seen videos of her title in 1990? What did you speak the other day you met?

ONS JABEUR: I have some videos. Of course, I'm a big fan of hers. She's very nice person. Somehow I have a lot of love for Argentinians. She's really amazing. We tweeted a lot before, and I was wanting to meet her. I was lucky enough. She was passing by. I said hi.

It's nice to see her. It's nice to see how humble also she is. The fact she says she's a big fan of my game, that really impresses me.

It was very nice talking to her, and hopefully we can meet more and maybe play tennis together again. We didn't get to hit. Just I have my routine, and it's very tough. I'm sure we will hit one day.

Q. How much is the Wimbledon experience helping you now as you move forward into the semifinals of another Grand Slam?

ONS JABEUR: I think the fact that I broke that barrier of being in the quarterfinals all the time, that did help with my confidence. Knowing that I could make finals in Grand Slams really helped my game, just trying to build that experience to go into second weeks in Grand Slams. It was very tough coming here, you know, just the hard court season like wasn't that great for me. So I was trying to build more and more confidence on hard courts.

You know, just probably Wimbledon helped a lot, for sure.

Q. Obviously on the clay, you went into Roland Garros with a lot of momentum, a lot of talk and everything, disappointed there. Wimbledon you had a great results before that on grass in Berlin. Here, not great results maybe on the hard court summer, and now you are back in the semis. Can you contrast kind of how you felt going into New York compared to how you felt going into Wimbledon or Roland Garros? What has been the toughest moment of this tournament that you feel like was the key to getting you here?

ONS JABEUR: I think starting for the clay season, I was pretty exhausted mentally and physically probably. It wasn't a good idea to play back-to-back tournaments. But, you know, I learned from that.

Grass season was very light, was good. Having good title in Berlin, you know. Playing doubles also with Serena was very nice. It was just the right amount of matches to play. It was very nice.

You know, Wimbledon, it's tough to talk about it, because grass, I'm never tired to play on grass. I'm always having fun. It's challenging, yes, but I got enough matches, and it was the right amount to play.

Here it was tricky, you know. I wasn't very confident coming at the US Open, to be honest with you. I was hoping to play more and more matches. Cincinnati kind of helped, but always playing Petra doesn't help (smiling).

When I talked to Reem, I told her literally I'm setting a goal to be in the semifinal. I didn't want to get my hopes for I'm going for the title right away without having any matches. I just wanted to take it -- it wasn't slow, semifinal, to be honest with you, but I was just trying to focus on each match and, yeah, comparing here, I was really fresh physically, and just trying to build that confidence each match. I think you can see that it was going much better each match.

Q. You said a few times that you want to kind of prove your form and level on hard courts. Most players don't have grass and clay as their favorite surfaces. What is the kind of challenge, if there is any, of hard courts? Is it mental, is it...

ONS JABEUR: I always hated the question, which best surfaces you like. I cannot answer. To be honest with you, I can't. I usually just choose grass, which I really can't because there is only two or three tournaments.

You know, hard court is kind of tricky. I really have to adapt very fast, and because sometimes the court could be really fast or kind of in the middle. Maybe I don't like in the middle much. Yeah, that's why I try to really get my game going, get that confidence going so I can really do whatever I want on the hard court. But deep down I know I can really play good.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your box, because every character in your box has a completely different way of reacting to your points. Karim is always so stoic. He's never happy or sad.

ONS JABEUR: Angry Bird, I call him. I don't know. Just he stresses a little bit, and he doesn't hide his emotions very well, apparently. I'm calling him Angry Bird these days.

Yeah, Issam is always pumped, really pumped, loses his voice after the match. I love my team. Melanie is always positive, you know. She always wears a smile, love, T shirts, good vibes. Also it's nice to have Arantxa this time here. She's amazing. She was telling me, she made me laugh how she was stressed. Oh, you should go there, do this.

I didn't know that, but she tells me after. I'm, like, she wants to pick up the racquet and play. I was, like, Okay, you can do that, maybe I will need you.

But it's so nice to have her.

Q. How have you developed the sense of belonging in the deep stages at majors, that belief that you belong here, quarters, semis, finals?

ONS JABEUR: A lot of really hard work, and I think for me I can tell you exactly end of 2019 everything clicked for me. I know I had the game, but just I didn't know how really to play with the type of slicing and controlling a little bit the game.

So for me, the point I was like sick of losing first rounds. I know I belong in top 10. Since then, you know, everything start to be better. I start to believing even more.

I think the fact that I have the team around me, the great team, just makes it a lot easier to have Issam and Karim by my side, they speak Arabic, Tunisian. That always helps me. I always had different coaches from different nationalities.

The fact they know where I come from and the history of being Tunisian, wanting to becoming No. 1, wants to win Grand Slams, I think the understanding between us really helps me to be here one day.

Q. Looking ahead to potentially Caroline, facing her, red-hot form, the way these courts are playing suits her form, as well, what have you seen watching her and what is the challenge of facing her?

ONS JABEUR: We go way back, from juniors, I know. Honestly I'm happy for her that she's back where she belongs. Also, she's working with Bertrand, that he was my coach before Issam. I'm just happy for them in general.

I know she plays really aggressive, and a tough game. So whoever is going to be able to impose her game is going to be in better form. So I will try to play my game. I will try to be me.

Hopefully it's going to be a great match for both of us.