“She wants to go and kick my a**,” Cheeky Ons Jabeur gets realistic before her second-round faceoff with 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva at the Australian Open
Mirra Andreeva's excellent victory against Bernarda Pera paved the way for an interesting matchup.
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Ons Jabuer and Mirra Andreeva (Via: Imago)
Tennis fans are in for a treat as Ons Jabeur, the sixth seed in the 2024 Australian Open, prepares to play emerging 16-year-old phenom Mirra Andreeva in a highly anticipated second-round match.
Jabeur breezed through her opener against Yulia Starodubtsewa, laying the groundwork for what looks to be an exciting matchup with Andreeva.
Mirra Andreeva’s excellent victory against Bernarda Pera paved the way for an interesting matchup. Despite Andreeva’s respect for Jabeur and labeling her as one of her tennis idols, Jabeur is well aware that the pleasant feelings may be forgotten once they get onto the court.
I might be her idol, but she wants to go there and kick my a** for sure.Jabeur remarked
Andreeva, named WTA Newcomer of the Year in 2023, has made headlines with her meteoric climb in the rankings.
Jabeur praised the young prodigy, highlighting the difficulties she suffers as a result of eligibility laws that prevent her from competing in tournaments until the age of 18.
Drawing a similarity with Coco Gauff‘s early career limitations, Jabeur said that Andreeva deserves greater opportunities.
It's going to be a very difficult match. I know she’s 16 years old, but she’s very tough. It's an honor to play her; I'm a big fan of her and love her attitude on the court.Said Jabeur.
An easy first-round win for Ons Jabeur
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur began her Australian Open campaign with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 victory over Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva on Monday.
The sixth seed, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, dominated her 23-year-old opponent, who was making her major debut.
Jabeur, who was eliminated early in Melbourne last year, admitted that she was not at her peak but shown much too much firepower for Starodubtseva to manage.
Despite making 28 unforced errors, Tunisia’s aggressive game plan, highlighted by 15 wins, proved pivotal. The important ingredient in her success was breaking serve six times during the match at Margaret Court Arena.
Jabeur’s commitment to strategic rest paid off, as she confidently managed the hurdles and won convincingly.
The sixth seed’s journey in Melbourne continues, and she feels confident in delivering an even more polished performance in the following rounds.
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Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)