Sabalenka Unlocks Keys, Jabeur Gains Revenge On Rybakina At Wimbledon; Women’s SF Thurs.
Ons Jabeur gained revenged on Elina Rybakina running away from the 2022 Wimbledon winner 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1 to return to the semifinals.
“I’m very happy with the performance,” Jabeur said.
“I’m glad I did everything. Shouted, got angry, then got calm and focused and hopefully I can keep managing my emotions like this for the next few matches.”
Jabeur rallied from an early deficit but was unable to serve out the first. However, she took control late in the second as the Rybakina serve fell apart.
The lankly Kazakh could barely get a first serve in in the third set and Jabeur jumped all over Rybakina on her return.
“I just kept going and said, ‘I’m going for my shots’, because if you try to play easy with her, it’s not going to work,” said Jabeur. “So I tried to hit every shot and show that I’m here on the court.”
Jabeur reaches her third career Grand Slam semifinal, her first of 2023. She’s won 11 of her last 12 matches at Wimbledon.
“I believe last year maybe I wasn’t ready to play this kind of match,” Jabeur said. “I don’t regret last year. It happened for a reason. I always say it. I have learned a lot from the final last year. Definitely very proud of myself for the improvement that I did mentally, physically and with the tennis racquet.”
In her semifinal tomorrow, she’ll face the red hot Aryna Sabalenka who rallied late to defeat Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4. She’s now 6-0 in Slam quarterfinals.
Keys led 4-2 and 40-0 on her serve in the second before the wheels came off. Sabalenka won 12 straight points and took the final four games to reach her second straight Wimbledon semifinal and her four Slam semi. And a win tomorrow gives her the No. 1 ranking along with a first Wimbledon final.
“To be honest, I want both,” Sabalenka said. “But I’m trying to focus on myself because I know if I start thinking about all this stuff, I’m going to lose my focus on court, my game.
“Later on we’ll see if I’m ready to become World No. 1, or if I’m ready to play another final.”
Sabalenka has won three of four with Jabeur taking their last three including the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals.
“Actually, we practiced here before Wimbledon,” Sabalenka said. “I felt like she’s going to do well here because she played unbelievable tennis on the practice court. I know it’s different in practice than in a match. She was able to bring this level in matches. It’s not like I didn’t expect that.
“She’s a great player. We always had tough battles against each other, very close matches.”
In the first semifinal, wildcard Elina Svitolina takes on Marketa Vondrousova in a 6th meeting. The two last meet in the Olympics semifinals in Tokyo with the Czech moving on and eventually winning the bronze.
THURSDAY WIMBLEDON SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE
CENTRE COURT – 1:30PM
Elina Svitolina (UKR) v Marketa Vondrousova (CZE)
Ons Jabeur (TUN) [6] v Aryna Sabalenka [2]
3. Mixed Doubles – Final
Mate Pavic (CRO) / Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) [7] v Joran Vliegen (BEL) / Yifan Xu (CHN)
You Might Like:
Rybakina, Jabeur Enjoy An Easy Day, Set Wimbledon Rematch; Swiatek v Svitolina QF
Wimbledon Women’s Seedings: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina Lead Field
Swiatek Wins In 3, Keys Claws Past Jabeur And Into Madrid Masters SFs; Sabalenka v Andreeva
Sakkari Sacks Sabalenka To Reach SFs, Jabeur Over Pegula; Swiatek, Coco Back Thurs.
Loaded Berlin Field Features Sabalenka, Rybakina Gauff And Jabeur