Ons Jabeur, Three-Time Grand Slam Finalist, To ‘Step Back’ From Tennis

Ons Jabeur, two-time Wimbledon runner-up, posted on X that she is taking a break from tennis. She said she’s no longer happy playing the sport, and it’s time to put herself first.

“For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges,” Jabeur said in a post on X. “But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for some time now.

“Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it’s time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal and to rediscover the joy of simply living.”

The 30-year-old last played at Wimbledon on June 30 in a first-round match against Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova, eventually retiring from the match due to difficulty breathing. She suffers from asthma and also experienced breathing difficulties at the 2025 Australian Open.

Ons Jabeur’s Recent Injury History

Jabeur’s 2024 season ended early due to shoulder discomfort and this season she’s battled a recurring knee and leg injury.

Recently, Jabeur hinted at taking a break following her early exit from Wimbledon, saying at that time she would “try to disconnect a little bit from tennis” and spend time with her family while recovering.

Ons Jabeur’s Struggle To Return To Top Form

Even though Jabeur is a former world No.2, she struggled this year to reach top form. She lost her first-round match at the French Open and suffered a third-round defeat at the Australian Open.

Her best run came at the Qatar Open, a WTA 1000 tournament, where she reached the quarterfinals. She also reached the same stage at the Brisbane International and Abu Dhabi Open, which are both WTA 500 events.

“Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always.

“Even while I’m away from the court, I’ll continue to stay close and connected in different ways, and share this journey with you all,” added Jabeur.

Jabeur, who holds a career-high ranking of No. 2, has slipped out of the Top-50 and is currently 71st in the world. While the Tunisian announced her break, she did not mention how long she would be out for.