Ons Jabeur says ‘it’s time to take a step back’ from tennis, thanks fans

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Ons Jabeur Tennis Break Ons Jabeur, of Tunisia, reacts after defeating Camila Osorio, of Colombia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Former World no. 2 and 2-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur on Thursday said that she is going to take a break from tennis to rediscover the joy of simply living. “For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges. But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for some time now,” Jabeur posted a statement on X.

“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. 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,” she added.

Last month, Jabeur retired during her first-round match at Wimbledon because of difficulty breathing, the latest issue for her during an injury-filled season. Jabeur, a 30-year-old from Tunisia, quit playing while trailing Viktoriya Tomova 7-6 (5), 2-0.

Thank you for your support 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/AiffrjDzU0

— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) July 17, 2025

Jabeur was visited by a trainer for a medical timeout in the first set. At one point, she sat on her sideline seat and cried into a towel.

“I wasn’t expecting not to feel good. I have been practicing pretty well the last few days. But I guess these things happen,” Jabeur said. “I’m pretty sad. Doesn’t really help me with my confidence and what I keep pushing myself to do even though it was a very tough season for me. I hope I can feel better.”

She lost to Elena Rybakina in the 2022 final and to Marketa Vondrousova in the 2023 final. Jabeur also was a finalist at the 2022 U.S. Open, losing to Iga Swiatek.