Advanced Edition: Ons Jabeur aims to fulfill Grand Slam destiny at Wimbledon

WATCH: Thoughtful and funny, Jabeur has charmed the Wimbledon press room with insightful quotes.

When 2022 hasn’t been all about Ash or Iga, it’s been all about Ons. The Tunisian star has taken her flashy game to the mainstream in this post-pandemic era and has been regularly rewarded at the tour’s top tournaments—most prominently at the Mutua Madrid Open, where she won her first WTA 1000 title.

She appeared poised for a full-circle run at Roland Garros, where she lifted the junior trophy in 2010, only to endure a shock exit on the first Sunday of the tournament.

Jabeur has rallied in remarkable fashion at SW19, dropping just one set to reach a historic first Grand Slam semifinal. With only two matches standing between her and a long-awaited first major, here’s why she’ll win—and what still stands in her way:

Why She’ll Win

Though her junior days saw her at her best on clay, it’s clear Jabeur’s streaky game is a perfect pairing for grass. She won her first WTA title on the lawns of Birmingham last year, and rode that momentum into the quarterfinals—flummoxing Garbiñe Muguruza and Iga Swiatek in back-to-back three setters.

The 2022 season has been more of the same for the 27-year-old on grass, earning her another title in Berlin and an even deeper run at Wimbledon, where she roared back from a set down to defeat Marie Bouzkova in the quarterfinals.

I honestly expected myself to do better after juniors, because I was one of the good ones and seeing other players from, like, my age doing better and I wasn't there. I was kind of jealous. But I also tried to be patient. Ons Jabeur

“I wasn't feeling like it was me really playing. Maybe my sister was. I'm not sure,” joked the jocular No. 3 seed of her performance in the first set.

Slow starts have proven no problem for Jabeur at Wimbledon, as her variety easily allows her to execute multiple game plans en route to victory. Though the seeds around her haven’t been as successful, the world No. 2 has soundly beaten all who’d oppose her, and she will likely continue that trend against surprise semifinalist Tatjana Maria.

The good friends share an affinity for this specialty surface—in addition to one another’s company—but Jabeur ought to have too many weapons to feel threatened by the mother of two in the midst of her best tournament.

Having scored wins over both potential finalists in Elena Rybakina and Simona Halep in the last year, can anyone stop her?

What To Watch Out For

Overestimate Ons at your own risk: we were in this very same position in Paris, and Jabeur hit herself right out of the tournament in the first round.

For as much tour-level experience as she has earned in the last two years, this is new territory for her as much as Maria, whose quirky backhand slice has already scored upsets over Maria Sakkari and Jelena Ostapenko.

Then there’s the classic First Slam Final nerves: should she get Rybakina, that distinctly favors the Tunisian, who can outfox the big-hitting, Russian-born Kazakh. But Halep is looking like a very different player to the one Jabeur beat only two months ago in Madrid.

A Wimbledon champion in 2019, Halep has blitzed Paula Badosa and Amanda Anisimova to extend her winning streak to 12 straight heading into the semifinals, playing with all confidence of a wily veteran. Unlike Rybakina, Halep won’t gift Jabeur with numerous errors, and can redirect most anything thrown at her.

Indeed, there’s very little about Jabeur herself standing between her and this title: only an in-form Halep can keep her from grabbing the Venus Rosewater Dish.

That kind of inevitability could cripple another opponent, but for someone playing the biggest match of their career, it may well be liberating.

“Usually I'm impatient and I want the results right away,” she said after beating Bouzkova. “I didn't imagine taking my time, you know. But it's good that I took my time, because it helped me understand a lot of things. I honestly expected myself to do better after juniors, because I was one of the good ones and seeing other players from, like, my age doing better and I wasn't there. I was kind of jealous. But I also tried to be patient.

“You know, everything happens for a reason, and I believe I deserve to be here right now this year.”

Patience has taken her this far, and while she can’t afford to let a Slam come to her, a calm approach can pay dividends as she aims to make good on her famed potential once and for all.

Going to the French Open, I really felt that pressure of everybody expecting me to do well. I wasn't used to that. Just invisible player going to Grand Slams, doing well sometimes (smiling).

But, yeah, I tried to learn from that, not overplay, not play a lot of matches on grass, just prepare myself for the main goal.

Indeed, there’s very little about Jabeur herself standing between her and this title: only an in-form Halep can keep her from grabbing the Venus Rosewater Dish.

That kind of inevitability could cripple another opponent, but for someone playing the biggest match of their career, it may well be liberating.

“Usually I'm impatient and I want the results right away,” she said after beating Bouzkova. “I didn't imagine taking my time, you know. But it's good that I took my time, because it helped me understand a lot of things. I honestly expected myself to do better after juniors, because I was one of the good ones and seeing other players from, like, my age doing better and I wasn't there. I was kind of jealous. But I also tried to be patient.

“You know, everything happens for a reason, and I believe I deserve to be here right now this year.”

Patience has taken her this far, and while she can’t afford to let a Slam come to her, a calm approach can pay dividends as she aims to make good on her famed potential once and for all.