ROTHESAY INTERNATIONAL

June 27, 2023

Ons Jabeur

Devonshire Park

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/J. Paolini

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Ons, your first match here at Eastbourne. How was it and how were the conditions today?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, very happy with the win. You know, conditions are tough, you know, with the wind, but I'm just glad that I get in my first grass win this season.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In the wind, what are you trying to do when it's swirling and it's difficult?

ONS JABEUR: Well, it depends which place you play, because the wind was like turning around, and sometimes the ball becomes tougher to hit it.

But for me, the most important thing is to try to slice and change up the rhythm. You know, just try to accelerate faster so the ball could stay on the court.

But yeah, especially on the serve, it was tricky. Always have to manage your toss. But yeah, I think I kind of adapted a bit and better today.

Q. On that, I watched I think the first set and just because how you use so many different, with your dropshots and topspin and the different types of shots, maybe the power players can cope a little bit easier with the wind?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, the more you keep the ball I think lower, the better. That definitely helped me to control better the game.

But yeah, you try not to hit very flat, because I don't think the wind will help with that. But yeah, mostly I think I was trying to literally play my game and play a grass game to kind of bother the other player.

Q. I saw you practicing yesterday with Beatriz? Is that right?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah.

Q. You obviously lost to her in Roland Garros in that amazing match. I just wonder how different it is playing her on grass compared to clay. And also, maybe just a few words on her kind of progress over the last 12, 18 months, because she's obviously now a serious player.

ONS JABEUR: I think she's also a great player on grass. But yeah, she doesn't have more time like she has on clay, but yeah, she's a hard-worker player, to be honest with you. I saw how she's very disciplined.

You know, you see players in the gym, in the locker room, and she's one of the girls that really works hard. You can see that she's always want to improve like every single thing.

Honestly, I admire this about her. If she's here, there is a reason why she's playing like this and she's improving a lot.

Yeah, I think she could play really well on grass. She had a great season last year. I think she won like 250 and she made a semi here. So yeah, I wish her all the best. But this time, if we play each other, I'm getting my revenge (smiling).

Q. There is no shying away from like you wouldn't stop practicing with someone who you think has got your number, or did you want to particularly practice with her because you had played her or anything like that?

ONS JABEUR: No, I wanted to practice with her because I was supposed to play a lefty in the beginning, and I was, like, Maia, I need you in my life now, I need a lefty (smiling).

But yeah, she's very nice and we are super friends. I honestly don't think about that. I always try to practice with different players. I think we all try to push each other to do better.

Q. You lost first round in Berlin and now it's your first match here. How are you sort of dealing with the transition from clay to grass?

ONS JABEUR: To be honest with you, it was kind of expected in Berlin. I just needed more matches to play. I needed more points and I didn't have enough time to do that.

Here I have been playing a lot of matches. But it's true that I play great on grass, but I have to find my rhythm, I have to find my shots to be able to perform the best.

Everybody needs to practice and everybody needs to improve. That's what I have been doing after, you know, I lost my match in Berlin.

Q. I think a lot of people saw you in the Netflix series and...

ONS JABEUR: Did you see me?

Q. I did. My daughter's a big fan.

ONS JABEUR: Thank you.

Q. She enjoyed it. You had quite a big role in it. Were you pleased with the way -- because that can be the way people remember you, can't it? The wider world watch it, and that's how they remember you. Were you happy? Do you think it captured you and what you're all about?

ONS JABEUR: I think it was very nice two episodes of me, I mean, half an episode, maybe one in general, but definitely the second one at Wimbledon was very emotional for me, for all of us, for my family.

But I believe I want to show more, you know. We filmed a lot, but I'm not the only one in the series there. Maybe I will have my own thing and show people more, if they are interested, you know, in seeing more what's happening with me every day, I think it's going to be amazing.

But I think it was a very nice documentary, and yeah, hopefully they continue promoting more tennis and showing what's going on on the tennis level.

Q. I'm sure your own thing would be very well received. Has life sort of changed a bit? Do you feel yourself over the last 12 months, Wimbledon, sort of the Netflix, do you feel a lot more recognizable, people want to know a lot more about it?

ONS JABEUR: A little bit more, yeah. People are very nice. Honestly I love the fact that people follow me and they give me their feedback. When you told me you watched the episode and about your daughter, that's really touching.

I love hearing those stories. I wish I can show more, you know, and share more with other people, because if I am, like I want to know something about another athlete or someone that I love, probably I want to know like small details what they're doing, what they're not. I believe I want to show that one day.

Q. As you said, you have more following because of the Break Point documentary. After the match there was a huge reaction when you won. How does that make you feel?

ONS JABEUR: I always talked about the crowd here in Eastbourne. They're really amazing. I think entering the court and winning the match, their reaction was amazing.

Everybody was telling me we need to see you on center court. It was very nice of them. Yeah, hopefully I can continue playing better and going far in this tournament.

Q. Give us, on grass, how different is it for you and particularly changing directions, in the corner, what are you trying to tell yourself?

ONS JABEUR: I think maybe better than moving on clay, you know. Sometimes it's very difficult to move on clay, but I think if you pick up your rhythm and like very solid on grass, I think you can move very well.

I am moving great, but I feel like I can improve even more to be more ready. But yeah, that's the goal of playing more matches here, and then hopefully continue winning will give me much more confidence, for sure.