THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2023

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Ons Jabeur.

Ons, good to be back?

ONS JABEUR: Great to be back.

THE MODERATOR: Tell us how you're feeling.

ONS JABEUR: Feeling good. I've had a couple of days' training here. It's so nice to come back. Hopefully it's going to be a great tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How prepared are you to go all the way this time?

ONS JABEUR: You know, I always prepare as much as I can to be 100% ready. The first rounds are always very tough, so I take it one day at a time.

I've been having good practices, good hits. Hopefully this level will continue, even like during the matches.

Q. What are your thoughts about your first-round opponent?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, I think she's a great player. She had good results on grass. I think she played good in Nottingham.

Always, like, first rounds is going to be very tough and very tricky. My goal is really to try to get in the tournament in great shape and see what's going to happen.

But for sure I want to impose my game. I want to enjoy being here at Wimbledon and see (smiling).

Q. Obviously after the good run last year, how much confidence do you take from that? Is it something that drives you on to go that one step further?

ONS JABEUR: I think it's good to have that confidence to be in the Wimbledon final, experience all the great things that I had last year.

Obviously I believe our side of the draw, kind of tough. Everybody is there, so it's going to be very tough.

But again, take it one step at a time and see what's going to happen. But that's how Grand Slams work: you need a good draw from here, a nice match from here, you fight from there, and see what's going to happen.

Q. You said you know your side of the draw is tough. Are you a player who looks at the draw when it comes out?

ONS JABEUR: I usually don't, but it's a mistake to look at social media when the draw is out (smiling). Sometimes I go in, Projected? No, I try not to look (laughter).

But I've seen some projected that I know they play the same day as me. I see so many players that I know play the same day as me. I feel like our side of the draw is more packed than the other one (smiling).

Q. I don't know how aware you are of the talk about a new big three in women's tennis. Both Aryna and Iga have been asked about that in this room today. If you are aware of that, are you somebody who thinks, How about me? Or are you somebody that thinks, Brilliant, that takes the pressure off me, you three can have it all?

ONS JABEUR: I think it makes sense to have the big three right now with them because obviously you can see the result they've been having this year. Also from last year they completely deserve to be there. I think for me it's inspiring to see them doing great. You can learn a lot from them.

Again, they can push me or other players behind in the ranking to do better. You can see them, how basically winning a lot of tournaments around this year.

I think it's a great thing to have these girls, that they show us the way to win Grand Slams and everything. I guess it's amazing. Maybe they had big three before in women, but nobody kind of mentioned about it.

It's nice to have that. Definitely nice to have that while I'm playing.

Q. How often does last year's Wimbledon enter your mind? How often do you hear about it from other people wherever you go?

ONS JABEUR: It's coming back right now. People mentioning I'm the finalist of last year. It's not great going in the locker room and seeing Elena's picture, but I try to take it off (laughter).

It's very nice, having the attention. You did a Grand Slam final. It's not a bad thing. It's something that it's great. Maybe sometimes I didn't see it that way because obviously I wanted to go for the title.

But again, a final is a great final, it's a Grand Slam final. I just want to use that experience, use the pressure that I felt last year, to maybe do better this year.

But again, my first goal here is to really enjoy playing on grass, maybe recreate greater memories like last year or the year before.

Q. For younger generation, for Tunis, Arab players, what this mean to you?

ONS JABEUR: Means a lot. I always talk in my interviews that I want to, like, inspire more and more generations from my country, from my continent. I believe that we have a lot of talented players. It's a shame not to see them here in Grand Slams, in Wimbledon.

I know they dream about it. Hopefully I can share more my experience and maybe give them some advice if they want to be professional tennis players.

I have a little bit of experience, so maybe it could help them. I believe nothing comes easy. The beauty of things that comes, there is a little bit of struggle in it. That's how I believe you can enjoy it more.

Q. Do you know the state of tennis in Tunis or in Africa? Do you know the level? They improving or...

ONS JABEUR: It depends. I know there is a lot of hungry players. They want to be here. If you ask me about Tunisian side, male side we have good I think four or five that are really good. They're trying to get in top hundred, which honestly is great. I think we never had this in Tunisia.

In Africa, I wish to travel more and see more the level there. But one thing I know, the mentality that we have there, it's unbelievable. I know there are a lot of great fighters there. Hopefully, again, help that they could make it.

I understand tennis is not easy, but again it's not impossible to be here. Yeah, maybe one day with my own academy I can help a bit.

Q. What about on the women's side in Tunisia?

ONS JABEUR: I don't want to talk about it really (smiling).

Unfortunately we have great players, but I believe they can do more. I wish they could have pushing better. We have, like now I'm playing from Tunisia, you know, Mayar is playing great from Egypt. I wish we could inspire more and more women. I know maybe sometimes it's tougher for women to make it. We are here, we made it here. It's not impossible.

I'm rooting for the girls from Tunisia. Hopefully they can really see other generations coming up stronger.

Q. What moments, if any, from last year's Wimbledon have you watched the video from in the year since?

ONS JABEUR: Sorry?

Q. What moments from last year's Wimbledon have you watched a video from, if any, and why?

ONS JABEUR: Well, I watched the Netflix. It was about Wimbledon, the episode. It was very emotional for us. It's tough to look back at the final.

I've watched couple other videos, happy ones, the Tunisian crowd, everybody supporting. It was great. But now we are in 2023, and hoping I can create better memories.