Ons Jabeur, the three-time Grand Slam runner-up from Tunisia, announced that she had to conclude her 2024 season early because of a serious shoulder injury.
The 30-year-old withdrew from Cincinnati, Washington, and the US Open this year due to fitness issues, dropping her to 22nd in the world rankings. Following her absence from the Olympics in Paris due to knee problems, she opened up about the shoulder ailment.
With this unfortunate news, the athlete said: “This year has been extremely hard for me, and as athletes, we know that recovery is part of the journey…Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I have made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the season.”
The former world number two stated that she will use her recuperation time to focus on humanitarian initiatives before going back to competition in Australia in the early months of next year.
Ons Jabeur, the seventh-ranked player in the world, stunned Italian star Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 7-6 (5) last Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Bank of Communications Zhengzhou Open. Jabeur, however, declared immediately after their match that she would forfeit the tournament due to a knee injury, stating in a video, “My knee isn’t feeling great.”
Jabeur’s knee injury
The official X of the Zhengzhou Open made the announcement on Thursday evening, releasing a video in which the Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur explained why she would be unable to attend the rest of her match at the tournament.
Unfortunately, after an amazing fight, @Ons_Jabeur is forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. 😔 Get well soon, Ons! We absolutely loved having you around! 🫶🏻❤️
Unfortunately, after an amazing fight, @Ons_Jabeur is forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. 😔
In the video, Jabeur dived straight into the announcement, saying, “Hi everyone, I’m so sorry that I have to withdraw because my knee is not feeling so great. And, I would just like to say that I loved my time here in Zhengzhou; hopefully I can come back next time.”
Fans expressed their concern for Jabeur in the comments section, stating that resting her knee was the right course of action and wishing her a speedy recovery. One fan said, “@thetennistalk1 mentioned this morning that Ons knee was heavily strapped. Good decision on Ons part to rest the knee.”
While another user added, “Sending my best wishes for a swift recovery to the incredible Ons! 💪 Your determination on the court is an inspiration, and we can’t wait to see you back in action. Get well soon and come back stronger than ever! 💫”
Ons Jabeur has withdrawn from Zhengzhou due to a knee injury.
“I’m sorry I have to withdraw. My knee isn’t feeling so great. I’d just like to say I loved my time in Zhengzhou..”
Hopefully she’ll be healthy in time for the WTA Finals.
The game between Jabeur and Bronzetti lasted an hour and fifty-eight minutes, with Jabeur leading 6-3 in the first set. But in the second set, Bronzetti put her own skills to the test and refused to let Jabeur easily cruise over to victory. It took Jabeur five match points to finally end Bronzetti’s resistance, clinching the victory and advancing to the quarterfinals to face World No. 12 Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina.
But given the unfortunate circumstances, Jabeur is now off the final eight of the Zhengzhou Open, thus granting Kasatkina the advantage of a walkover into the semi-final, where she will take on French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Jabeur captures Ningbo Open title last month
Last month, Jabeur defeated 19-year-old Russian player Diane Shnaider at the Ningbo Open to win her fifth Hologic WTA Tour championship, triumphing impressively 6-2, 6-1. This victory marked Jabeur’s second title in 2023, as well as her first title on hard courts, according to the WTA tennis.
WTA: “First Hard-Court Title 💫@Ons_Jabeur defeats Shnaider to claim the crown in Ningbo, her 2nd this season and 5th overall!
Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur have announced that they will choose their health over competing at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
World No. 3 Sabalenka admitted: “I prefer to have a little rest to make sure physically and health-wise I’m ready for the hard courts…. Especially with all the struggles I’ve been struggling with the last months, I feel I have to take care of my health.”
“It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health,” she added.
Jabeur also shared on her social media that she had “decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardize the rest of my season.”
Athletes’ performances this season
The third-ranked Sabalenka lost to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals of the French Open. This was the first time the Belarusian athlete had lost before the major semi-finals since the 2022 French Open. However, she did retain her title from the Australian Open.
As part of her Wimbledon preparations, Sabalenka is scheduled to participate in Berlin. She advanced to the semi-finals the previous year. Wimbledon takes place from July 1-14, 2024.
On the other hand, Jabeur, current world number ten, is worried about competing on hard and grass courts in the Olympics as she has been dealing with a recurrent knee problem for the last few years. The athlete was also beaten in the French Open quarter-finals.
The clay courts of Roland Garros will host tennis matches during the 2024 Games, which run from July 27 to August 4.
It is reported that athletes from Belarus and Russia who make it to the Games can only compete as neutrals in Paris. Daniil Medvedev, the fourth-ranked male athlete in Russia, is one of the athletes planning to compete as a neutral.
Defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova retired hurt from her second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya at the Berlin Ladies Open.
The world number 6 was up 5-3 and serving for the first set when she had a nasty fall on the baseline.
After off-court treatment, she returned heavily strapped up to play two games but retired with the set tied at 5-5.
The injury raises doubts about whether she will be able to defend her Wimbledon title, with less than two weeks to recover before the competition starts.
Vondrousova is scheduled to start her title defence with a first-round match at the All England Club on Centre Court on July 2.
The Czech was a surprise winner at Wimbledon last year, beating the Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the final to claim her first Grand Slam.
The 24-year-oldbecame the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title.
Berlin results
Eight of the world’s top 10 women are competing in Berlin, with only top-ranked Iga Swiatek and world number seven Jasmine Paolini not in the fray.
Russia’s Kalinskaya , who advanced to the next round when Vondrousova retired hurt, will now face world number three Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka brushed aside Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-4.
Elsewhere on Thursday (June 20), 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina beat Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5.
Rybakina will now face former world number 1 Victoria Azarenka in a bid to advance to her first grass-court semi-final since her Wimbledon triumph.
Meanwhile, Jabeur prevailed against Linda Noskova to set up a quarter-final match against Coco Gauff.
World number two Gauff beat Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.
Gauff defeated Jabeur at the French Open earlier this month.
Gauff, 20, will make her Olympic debut in Paris after being named a member of the US women’s singles team.
The American missed the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for Covid-19.
An ‘ongoing injury’ has caused defending champion Novak Djokovic to withdraw from the ATP Finals. This season, the athlete has already qualified as the sixth most successful player on the ATP Tour, having won a record of seven titles at the event.
Djokovic said: “I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic wrote on social media.”
He added: “Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon.”
The athlete did not specify the nature of his injury, and he will not play again this season. Currently, he has won a record of 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles.
Djokovic’s athletic performance
In 2024, Djokovic won 37 of his 46 games and won his only championship in the Paris Olympics, where he finally received the goal medal he had been working hard for. Moreover, he has not won an ATP event since 2005, and this is only the fourth season since 2008 that he has not taken home one of the four Grand Slam championships.
Djokovic admitted: “I am not chasing ATP Finals, I am not chasing the rankings.” Furthermore, the former world number one confirmed his desire to focus on the Grand Slams in an attempt to extend his career.
Djokovic’s next match will probably be at the Australian Open, which will begin on January 12, 2025.
Barbora Krejcikova, the Wimbledon champion, announced that she would not be competing in this season’s Australian Open due to a back injury.
The injury occurred during the Asian swing of the WTA. World No. 10 Krejcikova, who was a surprise winner at the All England Club last year, hurt her back at the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh last November.
In a social media post, Krejcikova said: “I wanted to share a quick update regarding my withdrawal from the Australian Open. Unfortunately, my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed.”
She added: “It’s really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such great memories from reaching the quarterfinals last year…. Thanks to all of you for your support. I’m working hard to get back to full health, and I can’t wait to see you on the court soon!”
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a quick update regarding my withdrawal from the Australian Open. Unfortunately, my back injury, which troubled me at the end of last season, is still not fully healed. It’s really disappointing because I love playing in Melbourne and have such…
With this news, Nuria Parrizas Diaz will take the spot of Krejcikova in the draw.
Moreover, Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Wozniacki will also miss the year’s first Grand Slam. According to the Australian Open, Yuliia Starodubtseva will take the spot of former Melbourne champion Wozniacki in the draw. Rebecca Marino of Canada will replace Pliskova.
