| Venue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 July |
| Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. More coverage details here. |
A year ago, Ons Jabeur had a photo of the Wimbledon women’s trophy on her phone screen as she chased history.
She swiftly erased it after missing out on the real thing but on Saturday has another chance when she faces Marketa Vondrousova in the final (14:00 BST).
The popular Tunisian hopes her third major final proves lucky as she aims to be the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.
“Hopefully, I can make history not just for Tunisia but for Africa,” she said.
Like last year, sixth seed Jabeur heads into the women’s final as the favourite. The 28-year-old faces Vondrousova, who is ranked at number 42 and is also aiming for her own slice of history by becoming the first unseeded woman to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Vondrousova, 24, was in London as a tourist with her wrist in a plaster cast when Jabeur lost to Elena Rybakina last year, following the surgery that sidelined her for six months.
“I’m just so grateful to be here. It’s crazy that this is happening,” Vondrousova said.
The Czech was runner-up in the 2019 French Open as a 19-year-old, so like Jabeur – who lost in the US Open final two months after her Wimbledon disappointment – has previous Grand Slam final experience to draw on.
Jabeur going to ‘learn’ from last year
In the Open era, only one player representing an African nation has won a Slam singles title – South Africa’s Johan Kriek at the 1981 Australian Open. Kriek also won again a year later, although by then he was representing the United States.
As Jabeur seeks to become the first woman from the continent to triumph, she has been motivated by revenge at the All England Club and used that to despatch Rybakina in the quarter-finals.
The Kazakhstani was one of four Grand Slam champions Jabeur has had to beat in a tricky route to the final, having also made it past Australian Open title holder Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.
She says when it comes to the final, it makes no difference whether you are facing a major champion or not.
“I think a final is a final,” Jabeur said. “Whoever could handle more the emotions, whoever could be more ready on the court, will…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at BBC Sport – Tennis…