WTA FINALS

October 28, 2023

Ons Jabeur

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Ons, welcome back to the WTA Finals, your second consecutive appearance. How does it feel to be back at the Finals? Talk about your season, how proud are you of it?

ONS JABEUR: Yeah, I mean, I'm happy to be here in Cancun the second time. Obviously it wasn't an easy season for me. I didn't even expect to be here.

But, yeah, super proud of myself. Hopefully I can end the season very well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How would you describe your group in this tournament? How do you describe the trophy in this tournament?

ONS JABEUR: I didn't see the trophy.

I mean, the group is tough. Obviously any group could be very tough. But, yeah, it's a great challenge. I love challenges. It's going to be great for me to see my level.

But, I mean, the good thing, I try to play freely and no pressure. Yeah, I can see the trophy in my house really good (smiling). I know the place. I'm picturing where I can put it.

Q. All week the stadium was a topic. What do you think about the construction?

ONS JABEUR: I mean, obviously as a player, I wish that the stadium was ready couple of days before in order to have a better preparation and everything.

But, yeah, I don't want to take the effort that the construction team had done for the past six weeks, I guess. I know they done a lot of hard work. I want to thank them for that.

I'm not very happy that this is the first day we hit on the stadium. This is such a big event. We should have been able to be ready and hit on the court.

Yeah, hopefully this will never, ever, ever happen again. Like ever...

Q. Could you say this was a difficult season? If you could grant a wish for the next season, what could it be?

ONS JABEUR: I win Wimbledon, that final. I should have won it. I think that's easy wish (smiling).

Good enough or you want more wishes? I get three?

Q. You get three.

ONS JABEUR: The first would be Wimbledon. The second wish is my knee would be better because I struggle with my knee a lot. The third would be the stadium ready on Wednesday.

Q. What do you like most about Mexico?

ONS JABEUR: People and the food. I mean, just love the culture. I discover some great dancing yesterday at the ceremony. It was really good.

But I love how very nice people are all the time.

Q. What is your favorite food? Tacos? Pozole?

ONS JABEUR: I think I would go with tacos because I have a lot of options there. I can choose which ones. I really want to go to the real Mexican place and taste real tacos.

Q. In terms of looking back on the season, you said obviously it was a difficult one. What is the biggest lesson that you take from this year? How did this season make you a better player going into 2024?

ONS JABEUR: Let's finish 2023 first (smiling).

I think the patience that I learned. To have no control over things and accept that. I think that was something very important to me. To know I was injured and I wasn't able to play Doha, Dubai, one of my favorite tournaments.

But, yeah, the other thing is I think I'm trying to have more pleasure on the court, enjoy myself more. That I think will help me discover, like, from all the difficult stuff that I experienced this year, I think it will help me for 2024. I think I already have a good feeling about that season.

Q. With the conditions being a little bit windy, that's going to be something that everyone is going to have to deal with, what do you make of that in terms of whether or not that levels the playing field for the entire eight or whether or not it makes it for trickier for some players? For yourself, being an aggressive player, but having the touch and feel, what do you make of having to deal with the wind?

ONS JABEUR: Well, I think the wind is not ideal to play tennis at all. Sometimes it's part of the conditions. But the wind could be really crazy here, so I don't know how it's going to be on the center court. I hit this morning. It was kind of okay.

I think it will benefit me more than any other player from the eight, from the seven left. But, yeah, I learned to just adapt to everything. As a tennis player, I always try to adapt and not complain about a lot of things. Hopefully it will help me to play better. Definitely I will figure out how to play my best tennis in the wind.

Q. Halloween is coming up. If you were to dress up for Halloween, what would you dress up as?

ONS JABEUR: You know, Halloween is my anniversary, too, yeah. We did it on purpose. We like everybody to dress up for our anniversary (smiling).

I would be... I should be scary, right? Why are you laughing? He's super scary. I dress up like him. Sometimes he scare the shit out of me (laughter).

I don't know. I'm peaceful. I don't know. What's scary here in Mexico? I know you guys celebrate the dead.

Q. La Catrina.

ONS JABEUR: Sure, sounds scary. I go with that. I have no idea what you guys said, but I go with it.