Wimbledon: Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur ‘going full in’ as she targets grand slam history for Africa
- Last year’s beaten finalist says ‘old me’ would have lost semi-final after going a set and 4-2 down to Aryna Sabalenka
- Jabeur has now fought back three times from dropping the first set at this year’s tournament
Ons Jabeur wants to make history for Tunisia and Africa by winning a grand slam title after reaching her second successive Wimbledon final.
The sixth seed, a beaten finalist last year, powered back from a set and 4-2 down to beat world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Jabeur, who has now fought back three times from dropping the first set at this year’s tournament, will face unseeded Czech player Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 42nd, in Saturday’s final.
Last year, the Tunisian trailblazer became the first African and Arab woman in the Open era to reach a grand slam final at Wimbledon.
The 28-year-old has admitted she cannot bear to watch the video of that match, which she lost to Elena Rybakina after winning the first set.
Jabeur, who also lost in the US Open final in 2022, said the Tunisian fans were always behind her, whatever her results.