Heartbroken Ons Jabeur pulls out of Dubai Tennis Championships
Having spoken about how much it means to her to compete in the Middle East, Ons Jabeur has made the tough call to withdraw from the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Jabeur had revealed ahead of the tournament that she was still struggling with an injury.
The Tunisian star has not been at full fitness at all this season but has kept playing through the pain not wanting to let down her fans.
“Regrettably Ons Jabeur has had to pull out of this year’s tournament,” said tournament organisers in a statement.
“We know how much this event means to her, playing in front of a strong Arab support. We wish her all the best in her recovery from injury and look forward to seeing her back in Dubai very soon.”
The Tunisian lost to Beatriz Haddad Maia in the quarterfinals of the Abu Dhabi Open, to Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the Australian Open’s Round of 2, and to Lesia Tsurenko in her opening round at the Qatar Open.
Jabeur seemed extremely agitated after the match against Haddad Maia, as it was evident that the injury was hindering him on the court.
She has consistently shown signs of carrying a niggle and has finally made the call to take the break she needs to get back to her best.
“Dear friends and family, I wanted to share with you all that my knee is not holding, it’s been unbearable to play with the pain and not being able to give my best on the court is frustrating,” Jabeur said in an official statement.
“After consultation of my doctors and team we have decided that I will have to withdraw from Dubai this week and go for more medical treatments.
“Looking forward to reconnecting with all on the courts for the US swing. Thank you for your continuous support. Love you, Ons.”
It will undoubtedly be a setback for Jabeur, who was forced to skip the competitions in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi the previous year due to surgery for an enlarged nodule that was preventing her from flying.
After receiving a bye in the first round, the three-time Grand Slam finalist was scheduled to play a qualifier in the second round.
However it had become clear that she would not recover sufficently and she has now made the call.
Jabeur has not issued any sort of timeline for her return although she appears to be eager to avoid surgery and may rehab this issue for some time. The wording of her announcement suggests she might make the Sunshine Double.
READ MORE: Ons Jabeur makes startling fitness confession ahead of Dubai Tennis Championships
