(Reuters) – Ons Jabeur was one set away from winning a Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last year and the Tunisian said on Saturday that she hoped to go one step further this time around and make history at the All England Club.
Jabeur took the first set in last year’s final before Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina rallied to win in three, denying the Tunisian a first Grand Slam crown.
The 28-year-old, who also lost in the U.S. Open final last year, will once again bid to become the first African woman and Arab player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
“People mentioning I’m the finalist of last year, it’s not great going in the locker room and seeing Elena’s picture but I try to take it off,” Jabeur told reporters amid laughter.
“But again, a final is a great final, it’s a Grand Slam final. I just want to use that experience, use the pressure that I felt last year, to maybe do better this year.
“My first goal here is to really enjoy playing on grass, maybe recreate greater memories like last year or the year before.”
Sixth seed Jabeur faces Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the first round and the Tunisian said the first week will be “very tough and very tricky”. She is projected to meet Rybakina in the quarter-finals this year.
“I usually don’t (look at the draw), but it’s a mistake to look at social media when the draw is out. Sometimes I go in, Projected? No, I try not to look,” she added with a laugh.
“I feel like our side of the draw is more packed than the other one.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
