"They had Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal; we just had Serena Williams" - Ons Jabeur on consistency of players on WTA tour

Anirudh
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have dominated the tennis scene for more than two decades.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have dominated the tennis scene for more than two decades.

Ons Jabeur believes that her peers on the WTA tour are getting a lot more consistent in their results, adding that over the years only Serena Williams has been a consistent performer on the women's circuit. On the men's side, however, the likes of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal have always delivered across tournaments.

Jabeur is currently in New York, competing in the US Open, where she beat Caroline Garcia 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals on Thursday to book her place in the title clash.

In her post-match press conference, the Tunisian was asked about her views on the criticism directed at the WTA tour for not having consistent performers when the likes of herself and Iga Swiatek have made it to multiple Major finals this year.

"I think we are just trying to manage and learn how to be more and more consistent. It's tough to play a lot of tournaments. I feel like, I don't know, I feel like the difference between men and women is like before, didn't happen before, but they had Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. I think maybe now we are going to see like more players coming up," Ons Jabeur explained.
"Before, we just had Serena, you know. Serena cannot play all the tournaments, and she was pretty consistent. That really inspired a lot of players. Yeah, definitely it is better for us to be consistent and do great results. We are trying to do that. Iga did inspire us with her winning streak, and we are going to continue fighting. Honestly, I just love how every player is fighting every week and how they are trying to do the best they can," she added.

Iga Swiatek stands between Ons Jabeur and a maiden Grand Slam title

Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur shake hands following the 2022 Rome Masters final.
Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur shake hands following the 2022 Rome Masters final.

A clinical performance in her semifinal clash with Caroline Garcia at the Arthur Ashe Stadium saw Ons Jabeur book her place in the US Open final. She won in straight sets, taking a little over an hour to defeat the Frenchwoman 6-1, 6-3.

Jabeur hit eight aces and 21 winners, did not face a single break point, and converted all four she got. In her 57th match of the season, the Tunisian did not face a single break point in a match for the first time this year.

Iga Swiatek, who beat Aryna Sabalenka in the other semifinal, awaits the Tunisian in Saturday's championship match. It will be Jabeur's second Grand Slam final following her runner-up finish at Wimbledon this year. Swiatek, meanwhile, is a two-time Major winner, having won the French Open in 2020 and 2022.

The pair are currently the top two players on the women's circuit. They have met four times to date, with their head-to-head locked at 2-2. Their most recent meeting came in the final of the Italian Open this year, where the Polish World No. 1 won in straight sets to clinch the title.

Is Serena Williams a Jehovah's Witness? Why American legend doesn't celebrate birthdays or Christmas

Quick Links

App download animated image Get the free App now