Ons Jabeur Forced to Retire in First Round of Wimbledon: A Season of Challenges
Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur faced a tough setback in her first-round match at the All England Club on Monday, ultimately retiring from the match against Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova. The Tunisian star, currently ranked 59th in the world, was trailing 7-6 (5), 2-0 when she made the difficult decision to withdraw.
At 30 years old, Jabeur has experienced a challenging season, marked by her struggle to regain form after reaching consecutive Wimbledon finals in 2022 and 2023 without clinching a Grand Slam title. The match took a concerning turn just 26 minutes in when Jabeur requested a medical timeout due to breathing difficulties. She appeared visibly distressed while seated on the sidelines, with medical staff monitoring her vitals and blood pressure, leading to a 14-minute delay as she was taken off court for further evaluation.
Despite her best efforts to return and continue playing, Jabeur was forced to retire early in the second set. Reports indicated that the scorching temperatures on Court 14 exacerbated her physical distress, making it challenging for her to compete effectively.
After the match, Jabeur expressed her disappointment, stating, "I wasn’t expecting to feel unwell. I’ve been practicing well over the last few days, but sometimes these things happen. I’m pretty sad; this doesn’t help my confidence, especially during a tough season." She added, "I hope to feel better soon and see what the future holds."
Reflecting on her struggles this season, Jabeur has dealt with a shoulder injury that cut her 2024 campaign short and a leg muscle strain at the Miami Open earlier this year. Her best performance in 2025 has been reaching the quarterfinals in Doha, Qatar. As she faces these challenges, Jabeur announced her intention to take a break from tennis to focus on recovery. "I definitely plan to disconnect from tennis for a while, enjoy life outside the sport, and spend quality time with my family," she shared.
Looking ahead, Tomova will advance to the second round, where she will face Britain’s Sonay Kartal, who pulled off an upset victory over 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko.
Stay tuned for updates on Jabeur’s recovery and future matches in the world of tennis!
