“I thought she is gonna die,” Ons Jabeur’s coach reveals terrifying health scare the Tunisian experienced during 2023 Australian Open

Ons Jabeur's coach Issam Jellali opens up about the Tunisian player's mental breakdown she faced after the loss at the Australian Open 2023.

“I thought she is gonna die,” Ons Jabeur’s coach reveals terrifying health scare the Tunisian experienced during 2023 Australian Open

Issam Jellali and Ons Jabeur (via The Focus)

Ons Jabeur‘s coach Issam Jellali opened up about the Tunisian player’s mental health after her loss to Marketa Vondrousova in the second round of the Australian Open 2023.

In Jabeur’s documentary, ‘This is Me’, Jellali opens up about how Jabeur required medical assistance after the loss as she turned blue and struggled to breathe. Jellali said in the documentary:

I thought she’s gonna die.
Issam Jellali on Ons Jabeur
YouTube video

Jabeur herself also opened up about her situation 12 months ago. She reflected on the lessons she had learned from the hard times she faced after the loss to Marketa Vondrousova. And also thanked her team for staying beside her. Jabeur told The National:

FS Video
It was a difficult time. I’m usually quite tough on myself and try not to make things more dramatic than they are. But sometimes it is what it is. I’m lucky I had my team around me and had the time to allow my body to rest.
Ons Jabeur said

Since the mental breakdown she faced, she has been quite selective in the tournaments she plays. Even in this season before the Australian Open, Jabeur decided to forgo all the warm-up tournaments and focus mainly on practice. Even though, it can be said the move didn’t pay off for her, she is looking at the bigger picture.

A look at Ons Jabeur’s upcoming tournaments

The Tunisian player will be facing Emma Raducanu in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Open. The match is scheduled for Wednesday.o The Tunisian faced an early exit in the Australian Open this season. Thus, the 29-year-old would look to go big in a quite familiar territory to her.

Ons Jabeur's coach Issam Jellali opens up about the Tunisian player's mental breakdown she faced after the loss at the Australian Open 2023.
Ons Jabeur (image via: WTA)

She has an experience of playing in the Zayed Sports City Stadium Court. In which she competed in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition match.

It is worth noting that the Abu Dhabi Open is a part of the extended Middle East swing. It will also have halts in Doha and Dubai.

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