Ons Jabeur fights back to oust defending Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina

LONDON – Ons Jabeur gained revenge for her defeat in the 2022 Wimbledon final on Wednesday, coming from behind to beat Elena Rybakina and reach the last four by managing her emotions.

In a repeat of the 2022 title match, the Tunisian sixth seed beat her third-ranked opponent 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1 on Centre Court.

The 28-year-old will face Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka for a place in Saturday’s final at the All England Club.

“I’m very happy with the performance – a lot of emotion out there, especially playing someone who serves really well,” said Jabeur.

“It’s frustrating to return but I’m glad I did everything, shouted, got angry, then got calm and focused and hopefully I can manage my emotions like this for the next two matches.”

Rybakina was first to pounce, breaking to love in the fourth game when Jabeur went wide with a backhand but the Tunisian hit back immediately.

Jabeur took advantage of a loose volley at the net from Rybakina to break again and edge into a 6-5 lead. But this time she was the player who failed to consolidate, squandering a set point as Rybakina forced a tiebreak, which she won.

The Kazakh survived break points in the second game of the second set, while Jabeur was forced to dig deep on her serve to move into a 3-2 lead. Both players held serve until the 10th game, where Rybakina cracked and Jabeur levelled the match.

The force was with Jabeur in the decider as she opened up a 3-0 lead and saved two break points to move 4-1 ahead.

Jabeur powered a backhand down the line to break once again and held her serve to seal the win, letting out a roar of delight.

There was also joy for world No. 2 Sabalenka, who stormed into the semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over American Madison Keys.

Sabalenka clinched a double break in the opening set, breaking in the first and fifth games, with her opponent not helped by 10 unforced errors, twice as many as the more accurate Belarusian.

Keys, playing her second quarter-final at Wimbledon, also needed a quick courtside visit from the tournament doctor at 1-4 down in the opener.

The world No. 18 broke for a 4-2 lead in the second set and was 40-0 in the next game but immediately undid all her hard work.

Sabalenka made Keys pay by holding and breaking again for a 5-4 lead, which was converted into victory off a second match point after 87 minutes.

“I can’t wait to play my second semi-final at Wimbledon and hopefully I can do better than last time. It was a really tough match, really great player and super happy I was able to win the second set, (and the) game,” the 25-year-old said on court.

“Thank you so much for the atmosphere, even though you support her more,” she added with a smile, which drew applause from the crowd.

In the men’s draw, Daniil Medvedev is through to the semi-finals after defeating Christopher Eubanks 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki said she is hitting the ball as well as ever as she prepares to return after a three-year break and twice giving birth.

The former world No. 1, who turned 33 on Tuesday, announced in June that she was coming out of retirement and has a wild card for the forthcoming US Open.

“You only live once, so why not? I started hitting a couple of times a week just to see how my body felt and all of a sudden found myself hitting as well as I ever have,” Wozniacki, who won the Australian Open in 2018, said on Tuesday at Wimbledon, where she is competing in the invitational doubles tournament.

She is following the lead of several other players who have come back after starting families.

Belgium’s Kim Clijsters won three of her four Grand Slam singles titles after becoming a mum, while Serena Williams also returned, as did Victoria Azarenka and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, who has reached the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard.

There could be another name to add to that list in 2024 after People magazine reported on Tuesday that four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has given birth to a baby girl.

Osaka said 2023 would be a year “full of lessons”, adding she planned to return to tennis in 2024 and compete at the Australian Open in January. AFP, REUTERS