Dylan Bettencourt
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur is only one win away from becoming the first African woman to win a singles Grand Slam after claiming victory in the Wimbledon semi-final.
Jabeur faced her best friend Tatjana Maria on Thursday on the centre court. Their friendship went out the window from the get-go as Jabeur looked dominant from her very first serve.
The 27-year-old claimed the first set 6-2 in rampant fashion and looked well on her way to booking her spot in the final.
However Maria was not willing to be rolled over by her friend, winning the second set against a dejected-looking Jabeur.
But Jabeur showed her class and power by coming back strong in the third and final set, breaking her opponent’s first service game, racing to a 5-0 lead.
She came out stronger after the disappointment of losing the previous one, winning the final set 6-1.
The middle act was just a small stumble in what proved to be a dominant overall display from Jabeur.
While it was not the most comfortable game for Jabeur, she showed signs of why she is the favourite to win the year’s third Grand Slam.
A mix of her intricate slices mixed with her powerful forehand has proven too much to deal with for every opponent she has faced during the tournament.
Jabeur has said she is motivated to make history on Saturday and has done everything to set herself up to do just that.
As well as having the chance to make African history, she could make further history for all Arab players.
Jabeur became the first Arab player, male or female, to make the final four at Wimbledon. A win on Saturday would see her become the first African and first Arab player to claim the honour.
Jabeur now faces either Elena Rybakina or Simona Halep, who face each other in the second semi-final of the day.
The women’s final is set to get underway on Saturday at 3pm with history beckoning for Jabeur, who will no doubt have an extra spring in her step.
Image source: @Wimbledon
