THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 13, 2023

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

O. JABEUR/A. Sabalenka

6-7, 6-4, 6-3

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

Ons, what a match. Give us your initial thoughts.

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, crazy match. I'm glad that I stayed in the match, was playing better and better after. Hopefully now one more match to go.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How would you describe the path you've had to take this year versus last year?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, I think this year the draw is much tougher. Playing against amazing players that not only they play good on any surface, but they play amazing on grass. That was very challenging.

Also maybe it's a good thing, that gives me more confidence to be ready for the final. Also getting that rhythm of playing great tennis to be ready for the next match.

Q. Seems that you're playing on a better level this year than last year. How have the struggles of this year helped you in any way?

ONS JABEUR: The first thing that comes to my mind is patience. It teach me how to be very patient and accept whatever happened to me with the injury because it was out of my control. I can't do anything about it. I was trying my best to be ready for the competition.

Yeah, I mean, if you tell me you get injured and be in the final of Wimbledon, I would take it (smiling).

Q. You said on the court that the old you would have lost this match today. How old are we talking? You 12 months ago?

ONS JABEUR: Probably, yeah, 12 months ago for sure. Maybe also a little bit before, like six months ago. It's a different player.

I'm working on myself like crazy. You have no idea what I'm doing. Every time there is something, I'm very tough with myself, try to improve everything. Very impatient sometimes, which is not good. Maybe the injuries did slow me down and teach me to be patient and accept what's going on.

For me, I always believed in mental, in working on it. That's what I've been doing for the past years since I was maybe 10 years old because I know if you are not ready physically, mentally you can always win. That's probably what happened in the last two matches.

Q. Is it fair to say that last year here showed you that you could win a Grand Slam tournament, something maybe you weren't previously believing or aware of? Also wondering if there are things that you can take away from last year's final here that you think you can apply and help you with Saturday this time?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, last year was my first final of a Grand Slam. Definitely getting closer to winning the Grand Slam that I always wished.

I would say I always believed. But sometimes you would question and doubt it if it's going to happen, if it's ever going to happen. Being in the last stages, I think it does help you believe more.

For me, I'm going to learn a lot from not only Wimbledon's final but also US Open final, and give it my best. Maybe this year was all about trying two times and getting it right the third time.

So let's see.

Q. What did you change after being down 4-1 in the second set?

ONS JABEUR: It was 4-2 (smiling).

Q. Apologies.

ONS JABEUR: No worries (smiling).

For me it was just one serve, one game. I just wanted to try to break her. It was very difficult for me to return her serve. Especially if she was mixing a lot. Even the speed was difficult.

I was like, honestly, I'm not going to give a shit, I'm just going to go in and hit my return (smiling). Yeah, it was coming. I was returning much better.

She missed some shots that did help me stay in the game. I was fighting every point. We just wait for a little bit of chance sometime to get the game, and that's what happened.

Q. What type of match are you expecting in the final?

ONS JABEUR: I'm going for my revenge. I didn't win against her this year. She has good hands. She plays very good.

Honestly, I will try to focus on myself a lot. I'm not sure how she's going to play second Grand Slam final, I believe. We both hungry to win. Whoever deserve it more will win.

Q. Your fans called you the "Minister of Happiness" for Tunisia. How are you dealing with the hopes and expectations of people that think you bring them so much joy?

ONS JABEUR: The good thing about those people, they always tell me, Win or lose, we love you. That's great words to hear. I always try to remember that, even though I know everybody wants me to win.

They're funny, because a few fans are texting my mental coach, giving her advice on how to coach me (smiling). I'm sure they texted Issam, too, and Karim.

For me there is one goal: I'm going for it. I will prepare 100%. Hopefully I can make history not just for Tunisia, but for Africa.

Q. You mentioned you played all these Grand Slam champions in the run-up to this final. Now you're playing someone who does not have the résumé of the players you played beforehand. How do you prepare yourself mentally for that kind of challenge compared with the challenge that has come in the previous matches the last few days?

ONS JABEUR: I think a final is a final. You're playing someone, Grand Slam champion or not. I think it's going to be very difficult. It can happen for both. Whoever could handle more the emotions, whoever could be more ready on the court, will definitely win that match.

For me, that's why I said I want to focus more on myself. I want to make my path worth it, winning all these Grand Slam champions to be in the final. Yeah, I'm going full in, and hopefully this time it will work.

Q. Technically speaking, you are one of the few players that are good at slicing. How do you feel being somehow an exception in the top players, playing different? How do you go on court with somebody like Aryna?

ONS JABEUR: That's the beauty of the sport: you have two kind of people. I think not just the game, but the character is so much different than me or her, any other player.

It's fun to have this on tour, at least in the top 10. It's fun to have some mixing little bit. Maybe it's fun for you guys to watch, too, not hitting all the time.

But, yeah, sometimes you really need to find the right moment to do those shots because with someone powerful like Aryna, it's very tough to be able to play my game.

I'm trying to learn how to do that more and more. I hope today will help, too.

Q. I want to ask about your coping mechanisms. Aryna was really loud and hitting the ball really hard. We didn't figure out what are your coping mechanisms.

ONS JABEUR: She was screaming for both of us, I guess (laughter). I couldn't even scream with her. It's tough.

It is true. I mean, that's the thing about playing Aryna. She's there. You know she's there. Actually it's funny, because when I had the match point on her serve, the crowd was cheering for me. I was like, Please, please, don't cheer, she will get angry and she will ace me. She did actually. She got so angry that she aced me.

Me, I tried to stay calm. I did get angry a lot because of not accepting a bit she was serving very well and not finding a way. But staying in the match, that's how I coped with playing today.

Q. You mentioned you're working on your patience. How do you go about becoming a more patient person? Why is that maybe a good quality for someone who's trying to win a first Grand Slam?

ONS JABEUR: First you're waiting to win your first Grand Slam, so you have to be patient. That's one (smiling).

Two, from these matches I'm learning a lot how to stay in the game. I feel like the best test for me is to stay in the game, to accept the fact that, for example, playing someone like Aryna or Elena, making aces even if you're winning the game Love-40, she can make three aces. What can you do about it? You have no control.

For me, trying to be patient, wait for that moment that you can prove your game. That's basically what happened in 4-2 today. I wasn't returning very well. I tried to put the ball in. It clicked in that moment.

Yeah, also my team always looks at me, Be patient, don't worry, it's going to happen, it's going to come.

That's basically how maybe tennis works sometimes.

Q. Last year you showed us your phone, had a picture of the Wimbledon trophy. What do you have this time?

ONS JABEUR: Can I answer after the final (smiling)?

Q. What is the image?

ONS JABEUR: You're going to know after the final.