- Tunisia’s ‘Minister of Happiness’ Ons Jabeur reaches Wimbledon final.
- Jabeur eyes history as first African and Arab woman to win Grand Slam.
- Amine Kerkni shares the belief that Jabeur will emerge victorious.
Ons Jabeur, a tennis player from Tunisia, has been referred to as Tunisia’s ‘Minister of Happiness’ as she aims to make history by becoming the first African and Arab woman to win a Grand Slam tournament.
Jabeur successfully reached the final at the All England Club for the second consecutive year, defeating notable champions such as Bianca Andreescu, Petra Kvitova, Elena Rybakina, and Aryna Sabalenka in her journey. In the upcoming final on Saturday, she will face unseeded Czech player Marketa Vondrousova.
“Ons made Tunisians happy being our champion and Minister of Happiness. We are proud of her, so I tell her play comfortably and avoid pressure,” Tunisia’s Minister of sports Kamal Daqish told Radio Mosaique.
Despite being a set and a break down, 28-year-old Jabeur managed to secure a victory over the Australian Open champion Sabalenka in the semi-finals on Thursday.
“My joy was doubled with Ons Jabeur reaching the final and me passing the baccalaureate exams,” Mohamed Hedi, 19, told Reuters.
“Ons achieved what was required and was more powerful, focused and disciplined, and took advantage of her opponent’s nerves. God’s will, she will win the title,” he added.
Amine Kerkni, an enthusiastic tennis enthusiast, shares the belief that Jabeur will emerge victorious and clinch the title.
“She can fulfill our dream, and she will remain distinguished in a sport that is new to Tunisians,” he said.
Jabeur has frequently expressed her aspiration to inspire girls in Arab and African nations. Her influential role has even led parents, like 27-year-old Ameni Ben Rehouma, to encourage their children to take up tennis.
“Ons is the pride of every Tunisian woman and raised the country’s flag high with her global achievements,” she told Reuters.
Prior to Jabeur, Tunisian tennis fans closely followed the career of Malek Jaziri, who achieved a career-high ranking of 42nd in the world in 2019 but was unable to progress beyond the third round of a Grand Slam.
Jaziri, now retired at the age of 39, is confident that Jabeur possesses the skills and abilities required to secure the championship.
“Ons dominated the match against Sabalenka, thanks to the experience she gained over the last three years,” he told Reuters.
“Ons worked on her weaknesses and her strengths, which gave her a distinct personality from the rest of the players. She is certainly able to achieve her dream at Wimbledon,” Jaziri added.
While Jabeur is considered the frontrunner to win the Venus Rosewater Dish based on her performance, she remains cautious and won’t underestimate her opponent.
This is especially true because she previously suffered defeats to Vondrousova, a former French Open finalist, during the Australian Open and Indian Wells tournament earlier this year.
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