In a nail-biting semifinal encounter against Daria Kasatkina at the Italian Open, Ons Jabeur came out on top, winning 6-4, 1-6, 7-5. With the win, Jabeur advanced to her second WTA 1000 final in a row. She will now face World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a titanic summit showdown on Sunday.
With her spectacular triumph in Madrid, Tunisia’s Jabeur became the first Arab or African player to win a WTA 1000 championship, and now she has the potential to make further history against Iga Swiatek after another glorious comeback win on centre court in Rome.
“I should really continue giving my best”- Ons Jabeur
World number seven Jabeur was clattered from pillar to post by unseeded Russian Kasatkina after winning the first set quite comfortably. Kasatkina appeared destined to win after levelling the match and had match point on her own serve in game 10 of the third set.
However, Jabeur saved the point and won that and the next two games to book her place in the final alongside Swiatek, who looked in unstoppable form in beating Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. The win was similar to her quarter-final win over Maria Sakkari, where she came back from being a set down and behind 5-2 in the second to make the semis.
“Very happy to back that other final in Madrid,” Jabeur said afterwards. “It’s never easy to play [Kasatkina]. I know this surface kind of suits her very well because it’s slow and she likes it. She was playing really well this week. It was a tough one for me not being 100 percent there. Pretty glad that I got the win and finals again.”
“I knew that physically I could handle anything,” said Ons Jabeur. “Believing that I could play even four weeks in a row, I can do it. I am exhausted, yes, but it’s part of my job. It’s going to help me push more tomorrow. There is only one match left. I gave it all from the first round, now I should really continue giving my best,” she concluded.
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