Maybe I Wanted it too Much, But it is Just the Beginning, Says Jabeur after Wimbledon Heartbreak

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday, July 9, 2022

Fans of Tunisian trailblazer Ons Jabeur needn’t worry. The 27-year-old isn’t too down about losing in the Wimbledon final, and she pledges to learn from the experience and come back stronger next time.

Jabeur, who lost to Elena Rybakina on Saturday, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, says her first trip to a Grand Slam final marks just the beginning of her career arc.

“This is just the beginning of so many things,” Jabeur said. “I’m very positive about it. I wanted really bad that title. Maybe because I want it too much, I didn’t have it. Just the beginning of great things for me. I’m really trying to stay positive, to really continue, get the more titles that I want.”

Jabeur says she left it all on the court and she does not regret the way she played in the final two sets. She gave full credit to Rybakina and said that she simply has to learn how to handle things better in a Grand Slam final.

“I don’t regret anything,” Jabeur said. “I gave it all today… I don’t disbelieve in myself and I know that I’m going to come back and win a Grand Slam, for sure. This is tennis, and it’s part of it. I have to learn from it, definitely. But I’m very, very positive about it.

This week marks the culmination of an incredible rise by Jabeur over the last two seasons. She had never finished inside the WTA’s Top-50 prior to 2020. Now she is the No.2-ranked player in the world and the first Tunisian, and North African to ever reach a Grand Slam final.

There’s so much to be proud of – and so much positive momentum.

Despite the loss, it’s cause for celebration, says Jabeur.

“Hopefully when I go back to Tunisia, definitely will celebrate with my parents. Probably will go out for dinner with the team and have a nice time. After all, this is really one of the best results that I ever had.”

Don’t stop believing, @Ons_Jabeur #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/J2FDlsnNw4

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2022

A Vision Quest – Jabeur and the Venus Rosewater Dish

Jabeur said she geared her whole season to making a run at the Wimbledon title, and even admitted that she kept a picture of the Venus Rosewater Dish – the trophy awarded to the women’s singles winner at Wimbledon – on her phone.

When top-seeded Iga Swiatek – she of the then 37-match winning streak – fell out of the draw, in week one, it felt like the title might be hers for the taking.

“I did everything since the beginning of the year to really…