Ons Jabeur became the first African woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final on Thursday when she defeated close friend Tatjana Maria in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The 27-year-old world number two from Tunisia triumphed 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 and will face either 2019 champion Simona Halep or Elena Rybakina in Saturday's championship match.

"I'm a proud Tunisian woman standing here," said Jabeur, who was the first Arab player to make a Slam semi-final.&nbsp; Before Thursday, South Africans Irene Bowder Peacock, at the 1927 French Open, and Renee Schuurman, in the 1959 Australian Open, were the only African women to have reached a Slam singles final.

"It's a dream come true from years of work and sacrifice. I'm happy that's paid off and I'll continue for one more match," said Jabeur.

"Physically, Tatjana is a beast, she doesn't give up -- I thought she would give up -- her touch, her serve and everything on the court is impressive. I hope she continues this way. Let's not play again, I'm good for now.

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"I know in Tunisia they are going crazy right now. I want to see more Arab and African players on the tour. I love the game and I want to share the experience with them."

Jabeur coasted through the first set against mother-of-two Maria with breaks in the third and seventh games.

The Tunisian fired 15 winners to her opponent's six in the first set while not facing a single break point.

However, Maria, described by Jabeur as her "barbecue buddy", did manage to finally break through for 3-1 in the second set off the back of a series of delicate slices.

Jabeur's 17 unforced errors in the second set compared to the six of the more accurate German, who levelled the contest.

But there was to be no upset win as the 103rd-ranked Maria's challenge was quashed.

Jabeur secured a double break for a 5-0 advantage before securing her place in history on a second match point.

Ons Jabeur became the first African woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final on Thursday when she defeated close friend Tatjana Maria in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Ons Jabeur became the first African woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final on Thursday when she defeated close friend Tatjana Maria in the Wimbledon semi-finals. The 27-year-old world number two from Tunisia triumphed 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 and will face either 2019 champion Simona Halep or Elena Rybakina in Saturday's championship match. "I'm a proud Tunisian woman standing here," said Jabeur, who was the first Arab player to make a Slam semi-final. Before Thursday, South Africans Irene Bowder Peacock, at the 1927 French Open, and Renee Schuurman, in the 1959 Australian Open, were the only African women to have reached a Slam singles final. "It's a dream come true from years of work and sacrifice. I'm happy that's paid off and I'll continue for one more match," said Jabeur. "Physically, Tatjana is a beast, she doesn't give up -- I thought she would give up -- her touch, her serve and everything on the court is impressive. I hope she continues this way. Let's not play again, I'm good for now. ALSO READ | Wimbledon SFs: Injured Rafael Nadal turns up for practice before Nick Kyrgios showdown "I know in Tunisia they are going crazy right now. I want to see more Arab and African players on the tour. I love the game and I want to share the experience with them." Jabeur coasted through the first set against mother-of-two Maria with breaks in the third and seventh games. The Tunisian fired 15 winners to her opponent's six in the first set while not facing a single break point. However, Maria, described by Jabeur as her "barbecue buddy", did manage to finally break through for 3-1 in the second set off the back of a series of delicate slices. Jabeur's 17 unforced errors in the second set compared to the six of the more accurate German, who levelled the contest. But there was to be no upset win as the 103rd-ranked Maria's challenge was quashed. Jabeur secured a double break for a 5-0 advantage before securing her place in history on a second match point.

Ons Jabeur makes African history with Wimbledon final spot, beats Tatjana Maria in three sets

Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur, the highest surviving seed in the women`s draw, recovered from losing her first set at this year`s Wimbledon to beat Czech Marie Bouzkova 3-6 6-1 6-1 on Tuesday and reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final.

Since losing in the opening round at this year`s Roland Garros in a shock defeat, Jabeur has won 10 straight matches on grass, having arrived at the All-England Club with a title in Berlin in the lead-up.

Currently playing at her highest career ranking of second, Jabeur will next meet her friend -- 103rd-ranked Tatjana Maria, who earlier beat fellow German Jule Niemeier, for a place in Saturday`s final.

Jabeur said it will be tough to play against her "barbecue buddy" Maria, who returned from maternity leave only last year after giving birth to her second daughter and reached her first major semi-final at the 47th attempt.

"I love Tatjana so much and her family is really amazing," Jabeur said. "She`s a great friend. I am really happy for her that she`s in the semi-final.

"She`s one of the examples that I wish players look up to because she really suffered to play and to win rounds in Grand Slams and look at her now. She`s in a semi-final after having two babies. It`s a really amazing story."

The story of Jabeur, 27, has been no less amazing as she became the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam singles semi-final and is bidding to become the first woman from Africa to win a major.

Jabeur, who had also reached the last eight of the 2020 Australian Open, said she was trying to inspire a new generation of tennis players in her country.

"I hope this could push them more to do better and see more players on tour," she said.

STOIC DEFENCE

Coming into her second straight Wimbledon quarter-final, Jabeur had yet to lose a set in her four rounds. 
She used plenty of drop shots in the opening stages of the first set against Bouzkova but the 23-year-old Czech read them well to blunt one of the Tunisian`s main weapons.

Jabeur failed to find a way past the Czech`s stoic defence as Bouzkova chased down most of her groundstrokes and was rewarded with a break of serve in the fifth game. A second break in the ninth got her the opening set.

As the first set Jabeur had lost in this year`s tournament it seemed to wake up the Tunisian. 
The 27-year-old stepped up her aggression, started hitting her groundstrokes flatter and broke Bouzkova`s first service game of the second set.

A second and a third break followed and the Tunisian soon levelled the match as her favourite drop shots once again found the mark on the lush green lawns.

BATHROOM BREAK

The Czech, who came into the Centre Court contest with six career wins over top-10 players, headed off for a lengthy bathroom break but could not change the momentum.

Bouzkova, who had never got past the second round of a Grand Slam before this year`s championships, was 40-0 up in the second game when Jabeur won five straight points to break serve and then consolidated her advantage with a hold to love.

Jabeur had won eight straight games to jump into a 4-0 lead before the Czech halted the juggernaut with a break to get on board in the third set.

However, it proved to be only a minor hiccup for Jabeur who picked up another break in the next game and then held serve to love to seal the contest on her first match point.

"I knew she was going to come and really make me work to win a point," Jabeur said. "She`s a talented player, and I`m really happy that I woke up during the second set and I played much better in the third set.

"I`m glad I stepped in with my game. I was more aggressive in the second set, and especially tactically I was playing some angles that she didn`t like much."

Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur, the highest surviving seed in the women`s draw, recovered from losing her first set at this year`s Wimbledon to beat Czech Marie Bouzkova 3-6 6-1 6-1 on Tuesday and reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final.

Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur, the highest surviving seed in the women`s draw, recovered from losing her first set at this year`s Wimbledon to beat Czech Marie Bouzkova 3-6 6-1 6-1 on Tuesday and reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final. Since losing in the opening round at this year`s Roland Garros in a shock defeat, Jabeur has won 10 straight matches on grass, having arrived at the All-England Club with a title in Berlin in the lead-up. Currently playing at her highest career ranking of second, Jabeur will next meet her friend -- 103rd-ranked Tatjana Maria, who earlier beat fellow German Jule Niemeier, for a place in Saturday`s final. Jabeur said it will be tough to play against her "barbecue buddy" Maria, who returned from maternity leave only last year after giving birth to her second daughter and reached her first major semi-final at the 47th attempt. "I love Tatjana so much and her family is really amazing," Jabeur said. "She`s a great friend. I am really happy for her that she`s in the semi-final. "She`s one of the examples that I wish players look up to because she really suffered to play and to win rounds in Grand Slams and look at her now. She`s in a semi-final after having two babies. It`s a really amazing story." The story of Jabeur, 27, has been no less amazing as she became the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam singles semi-final and is bidding to become the first woman from Africa to win a major. Jabeur, who had also reached the last eight of the 2020 Australian Open, said she was trying to inspire a new generation of tennis players in her country. "I hope this could push them more to do better and see more players on tour," she said. STOIC DEFENCE Coming into her second straight Wimbledon quarter-final, Jabeur had yet to lose a set in her four rounds. She used plenty of drop shots in the opening stages of the first set against Bouzkova but the 23-year-old Czech read them well to blunt one of the Tunisian`s main weapons. Jabeur failed to find a way past the Czech`s stoic defence as Bouzkova chased down most of her groundstrokes and was rewarded with a break of serve in the fifth game. A second break in the ninth got her the opening set. As the first set Jabeur had lost in this year`s tournament it seemed to wake up the Tunisian. The 27-year-old stepped up her aggression, started hitting her groundstrokes flatter and broke Bouzkova`s first service game of the second set. A second and a third break followed and the Tunisian soon levelled the match as her favourite drop shots once again found the mark on the lush green lawns. BATHROOM BREAK The Czech, who came into the Centre Court contest with six career wins over top-10 players, headed off for a lengthy bathroom break but could not change the momentum. Bouzkova, who had never got past the second round of a Grand Slam before this year`s championships, was 40-0 up in the second game when Jabeur won five straight points to break serve and then consolidated her advantage with a hold to love. Jabeur had won eight straight games to jump into a 4-0 lead before the Czech halted the juggernaut with a break to get on board in the third set. However, it proved to be only a minor hiccup for Jabeur who picked up another break in the next game and then held serve to love to seal the contest on her first match point. "I knew she was going to come and really make me work to win a point," Jabeur said. "She`s a talented player, and I`m really happy that I woke up during the second set and I played much better in the third set. "I`m glad I stepped in with my game. I was more aggressive in the second set, and especially tactically I was playing some angles that she didn`t like much."

Wimbledon: Ons Jabeur rallies past Marie Bouzkova to reach maiden major semi-final

Ons Jabeur was kept on court for more than hour - but only just - as the speedy Tunisian dispatched former junior number one Diane Parry 6-2 6-3 on Friday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. The world number two has shown little mercy during her progress to the third round, spending less than two hours on court. Had she not been broken by Parry when serving for the first set at 5-0 up, she would have made it into the last 16 in less than three hours on court during the first five days of the grasscourt major.

That break not only earned 19-year-old Parry, one of four Frenchwomen to reach the third round, a rousing ovation from the Centre Court crowd but boosted her confidence as she raised her game to hit some sublime one-handed backhand winners. Although the teenager could not rescue the first set, which Jabeur sealed with an ace, she stayed toe-to-toe with the third seed in the second set until 3-3.

It was at this point Jabeur moved in to deliver the knockout punch as she broke Parry to love and moments later she was celebrating her passage into the fourth round -- having been kept on court for 68 minutes. 
She will next meet either 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber or Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens.

***

American 23rd seed Frances Tiafoe kept his focus in the face of an Alexander Bublik circus act on Friday to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time. The 24-year-old punched the air with delight as a Bublik double-fault sealed a 3-6 7-6(1) 7-6(3) 6-4 victory in front an enthralled audience on Court Two. 
Kazakhstan`s Bublik is one of the great entertainers in men`s tennis -- a rival to Nick Kyrgios in terms of trick shots but without the scowls and controversy.

Bublik held the upper hand when he took the opening set but Tiafoe stuck manfully to his task and won the second on a tiebreak before doing the same in the third. Bublik appeared to have thrown in the towel when trailing 3-0 in the fourth but it was just a ruse.

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The world number 38 delivered virtually every first serve under arm in the following game and when most of them failed to land in the box he followed up with 130mph second serves. There was also pure genius from Bublik, including a no-look drop shot and scorching baseline winners, and he miraculously retrieved a lob to win a magical rally and break serve, before squaring the set at 4-4 with a booming ace. 
Tiafoe looked in danger of being suckered in to the Bublik sideshow when he faced a break point at 4-4 but the American banged down an ace and held with a drop shot reply to a Bublik serve return drop shot, getting a clap from his opponent.

The crowd wanted the match to go on, such was the level of entertainment, but Bublik could not hold. He left the court smiling and to huge cheers, while Tiafoe can now look forward to a more conventional test against either David Goffin or Ugo Umbert. Tiafoe is only the third active American male player to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam on four occasions, the others being John Isner and Sam Querrey.

***

Britain`s Heather Watson reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in 43 attempts over 12 years on Friday as she beat Slovenia`s Kaja Juvan 7-6(6) 6-2 in front of a barely believing crowd on Wimbledon Court one. Watson, 30, has slipped to 121st in the world rankings and fourth in Britain and although she has tasted notable success in doubles, she has never been able to sustain a challenge in singles at the top level, her best Wimbledon performances being reaching the third round three times. 
She came through an awkward first set full of slices and drop shots against 21-year-old Juvan and did not let her head drop after blowing three set points in the tiebreak before taking it 8-6 on a double fault by the 60th-ranked Slovenian.

Energised, Watson blasted to a 5-0 lead in the second set, adding power and confidence to her groundstrokes, and though Juvan launched a late rally, Watson prevailed to cap a week to remember in which she has been on court five days in a row after her first two matches ran into second days.

Ons Jabeur was kept on court for more than hour - but only just - as the speedy Tunisian dispatched former junior number one Diane Parry 6-2 6-3 on Friday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Ons Jabeur was kept on court for more than hour - but only just - as the speedy Tunisian dispatched former junior number one Diane Parry 6-2 6-3 on Friday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. The world number two has shown little mercy during her progress to the third round, spending less than two hours on court. Had she not been broken by Parry when serving for the first set at 5-0 up, she would have made it into the last 16 in less than three hours on court during the first five days of the grasscourt major. That break not only earned 19-year-old Parry, one of four Frenchwomen to reach the third round, a rousing ovation from the Centre Court crowd but boosted her confidence as she raised her game to hit some sublime one-handed backhand winners. Although the teenager could not rescue the first set, which Jabeur sealed with an ace, she stayed toe-to-toe with the third seed in the second set until 3-3. It was at this point Jabeur moved in to deliver the knockout punch as she broke Parry to love and moments later she was celebrating her passage into the fourth round -- having been kept on court for 68 minutes. She will next meet either 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber or Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens. *** American 23rd seed Frances Tiafoe kept his focus in the face of an Alexander Bublik circus act on Friday to reach the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time. The 24-year-old punched the air with delight as a Bublik double-fault sealed a 3-6 7-6(1) 7-6(3) 6-4 victory in front an enthralled audience on Court Two. Kazakhstan`s Bublik is one of the great entertainers in men`s tennis -- a rival to Nick Kyrgios in terms of trick shots but without the scowls and controversy. Bublik held the upper hand when he took the opening set but Tiafoe stuck manfully to his task and won the second on a tiebreak before doing the same in the third. Bublik appeared to have thrown in the towel when trailing 3-0 in the fourth but it was just a ruse. ALSO READ | Wimbledon: Former champion Simona Halep rallies to beat retiring Kirsten Flipkens The world number 38 delivered virtually every first serve under arm in the following game and when most of them failed to land in the box he followed up with 130mph second serves. There was also pure genius from Bublik, including a no-look drop shot and scorching baseline winners, and he miraculously retrieved a lob to win a magical rally and break serve, before squaring the set at 4-4 with a booming ace. Tiafoe looked in danger of being suckered in to the Bublik sideshow when he faced a break point at 4-4 but the American banged down an ace and held with a drop shot reply to a Bublik serve return drop shot, getting a clap from his opponent. The crowd wanted the match to go on, such was the level of entertainment, but Bublik could not hold. He left the court smiling and to huge cheers, while Tiafoe can now look forward to a more conventional test against either David Goffin or Ugo Umbert. Tiafoe is only the third active American male player to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam on four occasions, the others being John Isner and Sam Querrey. *** Britain`s Heather Watson reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in 43 attempts over 12 years on Friday as she beat Slovenia`s Kaja Juvan 7-6(6) 6-2 in front of a barely believing crowd on Wimbledon Court one. Watson, 30, has slipped to 121st in the world rankings and fourth in Britain and although she has tasted notable success in doubles, she has never been able to sustain a challenge in singles at the top level, her best Wimbledon performances being reaching the third round three times. She came through an awkward first set full of slices and drop shots against 21-year-old Juvan and did not let her head drop after blowing three set points in the tiebreak before taking it 8-6 on a double fault by the 60th-ranked Slovenian. Energised, Watson blasted to a 5-0 lead in the second set, adding power and confidence to her groundstrokes, and though Juvan launched a late rally, Watson prevailed to cap a week to remember in which she has been on court five days in a row after her first two matches ran into second days.

Wimbledon: Ons Jabeur, Frances Tiafoe win hard-fought ties, Heather Watson enters R4 at 43rd attempt

Wild cards Ons Jabeur and Serena Williams have pulled out of their Eastbourne International doubles semifinal against Aleksandra Krunic and Magda Linette due to Jabeur`s right knee injury. Krunic and Linette will contest their first WTA double final as a team. It will be Krunic`s 10th doubles final overall, and Linette`s fifth. Krunic already owns five WTA doubles titles, while Linette won her first in Charleston this year alongside Andreja Klepac. Jabeur and Williams had thrilled the crowd with two victories in their first event together, saving a match point in the first round against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo before dispatching Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-Ching in straight sets.

Jabeur had captured her third WTA Tour title in Berlin the previous week and will go into Wimbledon as the No.3 seed next week. Williams was playing her first tournament since retiring in the first round of Wimbledon last year. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has received a wild card into this year`s Championships and will make her singles return there. On her return, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion Williams kept her return to the WTA Tour rolling, as she and Ons Jabeur earned a 6-2, 6-4 quarterfinal win over Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-ching.

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After a close first-round win against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, Williams and Jabeur had an easier time in the quarterfinals, knocking out Doubles World No.10 Aoyama and No.49 Chan in just 65 minutes. In singles, defending champion and No.8 seed Jelena Ostapenko reached the quarterfinals after No.11 seed Madison Keys retired from their match due to an abdominal injury. Ostapenko had taken the first set 6-3 when Keys stopped the encounter due to her ailment.

Serena will now be eyeing the 135th staging of The Championships at Wimbledon, which is held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Main-draw singles play begins on Monday, June 27.&nbsp;

Wild cards Ons Jabeur and Serena Williams have pulled out of their Eastbourne International doubles semifinal against Aleksandra Krunic and Magda Linette due to Jabeur`s right knee injury.

Wild cards Ons Jabeur and Serena Williams have pulled out of their Eastbourne International doubles semifinal against Aleksandra Krunic and Magda Linette due to Jabeur`s right knee injury. Krunic and Linette will contest their first WTA double final as a team. It will be Krunic`s 10th doubles final overall, and Linette`s fifth. Krunic already owns five WTA doubles titles, while Linette won her first in Charleston this year alongside Andreja Klepac. Jabeur and Williams had thrilled the crowd with two victories in their first event together, saving a match point in the first round against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo before dispatching Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-Ching in straight sets. Jabeur had captured her third WTA Tour title in Berlin the previous week and will go into Wimbledon as the No.3 seed next week. Williams was playing her first tournament since retiring in the first round of Wimbledon last year. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has received a wild card into this year`s Championships and will make her singles return there. On her return, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and 14-time Grand Slam doubles champion Williams kept her return to the WTA Tour rolling, as she and Ons Jabeur earned a 6-2, 6-4 quarterfinal win over Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-ching. ALSO READ | Tennis great Martina Navratilova slams IOC for lack of leadership on transgender issue After a close first-round win against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, Williams and Jabeur had an easier time in the quarterfinals, knocking out Doubles World No.10 Aoyama and No.49 Chan in just 65 minutes. In singles, defending champion and No.8 seed Jelena Ostapenko reached the quarterfinals after No.11 seed Madison Keys retired from their match due to an abdominal injury. Ostapenko had taken the first set 6-3 when Keys stopped the encounter due to her ailment. Serena will now be eyeing the 135th staging of The Championships at Wimbledon, which is held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Main-draw singles play begins on Monday, June 27.

Serena Williams' campaign comes to an end at Eastbourne following doubles partner Ons Jabeur's injury

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting.

Jessica was dominant as she started each set strong, seizing leads of 3-0 in the first and 2-0 in the second. Teichmann made a brief charge to reach 4-4 in set two, but the 35th-ranked Swiss dropped serve in the ninth game and then Pegula closed it out. Pegula will now take on a fellow first-time WTA 1000 finalist, No.8 seed Ons Jabeur, in Saturday`s championship match.

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Jabeur defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in Thursday`s semifinal. For both Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur, the Mutua Madrid Open will be the first final of a WTA 1000 tournament they will be contesting.

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting.

Jessica Pegula of America advanced into the final of the Madrid Open after defeating Jil Teichmann of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4 in their late-night semifinal clash. It took an hour and 21 minutes for Pegula to ease past 35th-ranked Teichmann in their first meeting. Jessica was dominant as she started each set strong, seizing leads of 3-0 in the first and 2-0 in the second. Teichmann made a brief charge to reach 4-4 in set two, but the 35th-ranked Swiss dropped serve in the ninth game and then Pegula closed it out. Pegula will now take on a fellow first-time WTA 1000 finalist, No.8 seed Ons Jabeur, in Saturday`s championship match. ALSO READ | Andy Murray pulls out from Novak Djokovic face-off in Madrid due to illness Jabeur defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in Thursday`s semifinal. For both Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur, the Mutua Madrid Open will be the first final of a WTA 1000 tournament they will be contesting.

Madrid Open: Jessica Pegula triumphs over Jil Teichmann to set title showdown vs Ons Jabeur

No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur was the first winner of the 2022 Madrid Open, advancing past Jasmine Paolini 7-6(9), 6-1 in 1 hour and 22 minutes on Thursday. Jabeur, making her second appearance at the tournament, is coming off a runner-up showing in Charleston last month. Paolini was bidding for her second career top-10 win, having gained her first in Indian Wells over Aryna Sabalenka.

The pair had never played before. Later, the No.15 seed Victoria Azarenka followed Jabeur on Arantxa Sanchez Stadium and virtually replicated the same winning dynamic, beating Viktorija Golubic 7-6(5), 6-3 in 1 hour and 44 minutes. Two-time Madrid finalist Azarenka, who was runner-up to Petra Kvitova in 2011 and Serena Williams in 2012, will next face Tamara Zidansek or lucky loser Beatriz Haddad Maia.

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The Madrid Open already has a marquee second-round tussle lined up, with two-time champion Simona Halep and World No.2 Paula Badosa advancing to face each other after speedy openers. Halep got her 2022 campaign in the Spanish capital off to a flying start, easing past Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-3 on Manolo Santana Stadium.

Badosa followed up on the same court shortly thereafter, sweeping the final nine games en route to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Veronika Kudermetova.

No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur was the first winner of the 2022 Madrid Open, advancing past Jasmine Paolini 7-6(9), 6-1 in 1 hour and 22 minutes on Thursday. Jabeur, making her second appearance at the tournament, is coming off a runner-up showing in Charleston last month.

No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur was the first winner of the 2022 Madrid Open, advancing past Jasmine Paolini 7-6(9), 6-1 in 1 hour and 22 minutes on Thursday. Jabeur, making her second appearance at the tournament, is coming off a runner-up showing in Charleston last month. Paolini was bidding for her second career top-10 win, having gained her first in Indian Wells over Aryna Sabalenka. The pair had never played before. Later, the No.15 seed Victoria Azarenka followed Jabeur on Arantxa Sanchez Stadium and virtually replicated the same winning dynamic, beating Viktorija Golubic 7-6(5), 6-3 in 1 hour and 44 minutes. Two-time Madrid finalist Azarenka, who was runner-up to Petra Kvitova in 2011 and Serena Williams in 2012, will next face Tamara Zidansek or lucky loser Beatriz Haddad Maia. ALSO READ | ATP roundup: Teen sensation Holger Rune stuns Germany's Alexander Zverev at BMW The Madrid Open already has a marquee second-round tussle lined up, with two-time champion Simona Halep and World No.2 Paula Badosa advancing to face each other after speedy openers. Halep got her 2022 campaign in the Spanish capital off to a flying start, easing past Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-3 on Manolo Santana Stadium. Badosa followed up on the same court shortly thereafter, sweeping the final nine games en route to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Veronika Kudermetova.

Madrid Open: Ons Jabeur triumphs over Jasmine Paolini; Simona Halep sets Paula Badosa clash in second round

Ons Jabeur will become the first Arab player to crack the top 10 of the world rankings after reaching the Indian Wells semi-finals on Thursday and the Tunisian said she is just getting started.

Jabeur, currently ranked 14th, reached the final of the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic earlier this month and became the first Arab player to win a WTA title at the Birmingham Classic in June.

The 27-year-old defeated Estonia`s Anett Kontaveit 7-5 6-3 in Thursday`s quarter-final in the California desert, converting five of her 12 break-point chances on the way to her 48th match win of the season, the most of any player on the Tour this season.

"Like this is a dream coming true. This is something that I`ve been wanting... when I was 16," Jabeur said.

"Top 10 is the beginning. I know I deserve this place for a long time since I was playing well. But I want to prove that I deserve to be here."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-stars-fall-at-indian-wells-which-struggles-to-draw-a-crowd-420743">US Open stars fall at Indian Wells, which struggles to draw a crowd</a>

Jabeur, who will face Spain`s Paula Badosa in her first WTA 1000 semi-final on Friday, said she faced many obstacles in her career because of her background.

"I`ve been rejected by sponsors because of where I come from, which is so not fair," she said. "I didn`t understand why before, I accepted it. I am really proud of the person I became today, just not relying on others.

"Everybody probably had a difficult career. I`m not saying I have the most difficult one.

"I didn`t want to depend on a sponsor or someone who doesn`t even care about tennis or sport in general. It gave me the courage to continue and achieve my goals, and I`m in top 10 today."

Ons Jabeur will become the first Arab player to crack the top 10 of the world rankings after reaching the Indian Wells semi-finals on Thursday and the Tunisian said she is just getting started.

Ons Jabeur will become the first Arab player to crack the top 10 of the world rankings after reaching the Indian Wells semi-finals on Thursday and the Tunisian said she is just getting started. Jabeur, currently ranked 14th, reached the final of the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic earlier this month and became the first Arab player to win a WTA title at the Birmingham Classic in June. The 27-year-old defeated Estonia`s Anett Kontaveit 7-5 6-3 in Thursday`s quarter-final in the California desert, converting five of her 12 break-point chances on the way to her 48th match win of the season, the most of any player on the Tour this season. "Like this is a dream coming true. This is something that I`ve been wanting... when I was 16," Jabeur said. "Top 10 is the beginning. I know I deserve this place for a long time since I was playing well. But I want to prove that I deserve to be here." ALSO READ: US Open stars fall at Indian Wells, which struggles to draw a crowd Jabeur, who will face Spain`s Paula Badosa in her first WTA 1000 semi-final on Friday, said she faced many obstacles in her career because of her background. "I`ve been rejected by sponsors because of where I come from, which is so not fair," she said. "I didn`t understand why before, I accepted it. I am really proud of the person I became today, just not relying on others. "Everybody probably had a difficult career. I`m not saying I have the most difficult one. "I didn`t want to depend on a sponsor or someone who doesn`t even care about tennis or sport in general. It gave me the courage to continue and achieve my goals, and I`m in top 10 today."

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur to become first Arab player to crack top 10 after reaching Indian Wells semi-finals

Ons Jabeur's historic Wimbledon campaign saw her reach the women's quarter-finals on Monday, beating Poland's 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in their fourth-round match.

The 26-year-old is the first Tunisian woman to reach the last eight at Wimbledon and will face Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka who defeated Elena Rybakina 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Sabalenka will be playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Jabeur showed great poise to stay in the match after she let slip a 5-4 lead and serving for the first set only for the Pole to reel off three games on the bounce. Swiatek, after a flat opening, had taken note of a young Polish fan holding up a board inscribed 'Jazda Iga' ('Come on Iga').

"It was a great match and I had to stay calm rather than get angry when I failed to close out the first set as getting angry would not have helped my cause," said Jabeur.

"Today I decided to change my game a bit as everyone knows I am doing drop shots and being aggressive was key today."

Jabeur never looked back once she had got over the loss of the first set.

Her breaking her 20-year-old opponent in the first game of the second set the tone for the rest of the encounter.

Indeed such was her dominance that Swiatek at one point having been out-witted by a Jabeur drop shot smashed the top of the net angrily with her racquet.

Ons Jabeur's historic Wimbledon campaign saw her reach the women's quarter-finals on Monday, beating Poland's 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in their fourth-round match.

Ons Jabeur's historic Wimbledon campaign saw her reach the women's quarter-finals on Monday, beating Poland's 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in their fourth-round match. The 26-year-old is the first Tunisian woman to reach the last eight at Wimbledon and will face Belarus second seed Aryna Sabalenka who defeated Elena Rybakina 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Sabalenka will be playing in her first Grand Slam quarter-final. Jabeur showed great poise to stay in the match after she let slip a 5-4 lead and serving for the first set only for the Pole to reel off three games on the bounce. Swiatek, after a flat opening, had taken note of a young Polish fan holding up a board inscribed 'Jazda Iga' ('Come on Iga'). "It was a great match and I had to stay calm rather than get angry when I failed to close out the first set as getting angry would not have helped my cause," said Jabeur. "Today I decided to change my game a bit as everyone knows I am doing drop shots and being aggressive was key today." Jabeur never looked back once she had got over the loss of the first set. Her breaking her 20-year-old opponent in the first game of the second set the tone for the rest of the encounter. Indeed such was her dominance that Swiatek at one point having been out-witted by a Jabeur drop shot smashed the top of the net angrily with her racquet.

Wimbledon 2021: History-making Ons Jabeur beats Iga Swiatek to play her first-ever quarter-finals  

American teenager Coco Gauff reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a crushing 6-3 6-1 defeat of Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday.

The 17-year-old capitalized on a nervous start by Jabeur and never let her opponent off the hook in a clinical display.

Jabeur, like Gauff a former junior French Open champion, tried to mix things up with her trademark drop shots but nothing could disrupt Gauff's flow.

Gauff wrapped up the win in less than an hour on her fourth match point and is yet to drop a set in the tournament.

She will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova, who swept Sloane Stephens aside 6-2 6-0, for a place in the semis.

"Very happy to reach my first quarter-final, I played really well today," 24th seed Gauff said on court.

American teenager Coco Gauff reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a crushing 6-3 6-1 defeat of Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday.

American teenager Coco Gauff reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a crushing 6-3 6-1 defeat of Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday. The 17-year-old capitalized on a nervous start by Jabeur and never let her opponent off the hook in a clinical display. Jabeur, like Gauff a former junior French Open champion, tried to mix things up with her trademark drop shots but nothing could disrupt Gauff's flow. Gauff wrapped up the win in less than an hour on her fourth match point and is yet to drop a set in the tournament. She will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova, who swept Sloane Stephens aside 6-2 6-0, for a place in the semis. "Very happy to reach my first quarter-final, I played really well today," 24th seed Gauff said on court.

French Open: Coco Gauff dominates Ons Jabeur to reach the quarter-final

Tunisian Ons Jabeur defeated China's Wang Qiang 7-6(4) 6-1 at the Australian Open on Sunday to become the first Arab woman to make a Grand Slam quarter-final.

Jabeur, who sent former world number one Caroline Wozniacki into retirement in the previous round, dazzled the crowd at Margaret Court Arena with both her variety and power, hitting 29 winners in the 77-minute contest.

<img alt="Ons Jabeur vs Wang Qiang" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bc8c2b05-75d1-4a57-842d-3e6e94aff739" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2890%29.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Ons Jabeur vs Wang Qiang (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

Both players struggled to hold serve at the start of the match, each losing an early break before Jabeur claimed the first set with a forehand winner in a tie-break.

Wang's game unravelled completely in the second set as she went down two breaks before Jabeur sealed victory with another forehand winner.

Tunisian Ons Jabeur defeated China's Wang Qiang 7-6(4) 6-1 at the Australian Open on Sunday to become the first Arab woman to make a Grand Slam quarter-final. Jabeur, who sent former world number one Caroline Wozniacki into retirement in the previous round, dazzled the crowd at Margaret Court Arena with both her variety and power, hitting 29 winners in the 77-minute contest.

Tunisian Ons Jabeur defeated China's Wang Qiang 7-6(4) 6-1 at the Australian Open on Sunday to become the first Arab woman to make a Grand Slam quarter-final. Jabeur, who sent former world number one Caroline Wozniacki into retirement in the previous round, dazzled the crowd at Margaret Court Arena with both her variety and power, hitting 29 winners in the 77-minute contest. [ Ons Jabeur vs Wang Qiang (Courtesy: Reuters) ] Both players struggled to hold serve at the start of the match, each losing an early break before Jabeur claimed the first set with a forehand winner in a tie-break. Wang's game unravelled completely in the second set as she went down two breaks before Jabeur sealed victory with another forehand winner.

Jabeur's win over Wang secures her first place in the quarterfinals

Qualifier Ons Jabeur became the first Tunisian player to reach a WTA final when she beat fifth seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the Kremlin Cup on Friday.

She had already become the first Tunisian to reach a semi-final and continued her impressive form against the Latvian to set up a final against Russian Daria Kasatkina.

World number 101 Jabeur, 24, struck 45 winners on her way to victory, twice battling back from a break down in the deciding set in what was her seventh match of the tournament.

"This is really amazing and I'm really happy. I gave it all today and it wasn't easy because she plays really good," Jabeur, said before thanking a number of her compatriots in the crowd.

"I'm really happy that Tunisians are here. They helped me through the end because it was a little bit difficult."

Sixth seed Kasatkina ended Briton Johanna Konta's run with a clinical 6-4 6-3 victory to reach the final of the Moscow tournament for the second year in a row.

Kasatkina lost last year's title clash to Julia Goerges but the 21-year-old will be confident going into her second meeting with Jabeur, who she beat in the Rio Olympics.

Qualifier Ons Jabeur became the first Tunisian player to reach a WTA final when she beat fifth seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the Kremlin Cup on Friday.

Qualifier Ons Jabeur became the first Tunisian player to reach a WTA final when she beat fifth seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the Kremlin Cup on Friday. She had already become the first Tunisian to reach a semi-final and continued her impressive form against the Latvian to set up a final against Russian Daria Kasatkina. World number 101 Jabeur, 24, struck 45 winners on her way to victory, twice battling back from a break down in the deciding set in what was her seventh match of the tournament. "This is really amazing and I'm really happy. I gave it all today and it wasn't easy because she plays really good," Jabeur, said before thanking a number of her compatriots in the crowd. "I'm really happy that Tunisians are here. They helped me through the end because it was a little bit difficult." Sixth seed Kasatkina ended Briton Johanna Konta's run with a clinical 6-4 6-3 victory to reach the final of the Moscow tournament for the second year in a row. Kasatkina lost last year's title clash to Julia Goerges but the 21-year-old will be confident going into her second meeting with Jabeur, who she beat in the Rio Olympics.

Jabeur becomes first Tunisian to reach WTA final

Home favourite Daria Kasatkina roared back from a set and 4-1 down to win the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Saturday (October 20), denying Tunisian qualifer Ons Jabeur a first WTA title for her country.

Last year's runner-up Kasatkina survived a rollercoaster encounter to complete the turnaround for a 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory after two hours and five minutes.

The pair exchanged early breaks in the opening set before Kasatkina fired a blistering forehand to take a 4-2 lead.

Playing her first WTA final, and a first for a Tunisian, Jabeur recovered with some aggressive returns as she reeled off four games in a row to claim the first set.

Jabeur's relentless groundstrokes earned her a 4-1 lead in the second set before her sixth-seeded opponent showed her experience to draw level at 4-4.

Last year's finalist Kasatkina turned on the style in the tiebreak, claiming four straight points to force a decider.

World number 101 Jabeur, who had battled through qualifying, showed understandable signs of fatigue as the match ticked past the two-hour mark, handing Kasatkina a crucial break on her way to a second career WTA title.&nbsp;

World number 14 Kasatkina ended a run of three losses in the finals to clinch her first hardcourt title.

The victory also earned her a trip to WTA Finals in Singapore, overtaking Aryna Sabalenka as the first alternate for the season-ending tournament next week.

Home favourite Daria Kasatkina roared back from a set and 4-1 down to win the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Saturday (October 20), denying Tunisian qualifer Ons Jabeur a first WTA title for her country.

Home favourite Daria Kasatkina roared back from a set and 4-1 down to win the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Saturday (October 20), denying Tunisian qualifer Ons Jabeur a first WTA title for her country. Last year's runner-up Kasatkina survived a rollercoaster encounter to complete the turnaround for a 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 victory after two hours and five minutes. The pair exchanged early breaks in the opening set before Kasatkina fired a blistering forehand to take a 4-2 lead. Playing her first WTA final, and a first for a Tunisian, Jabeur recovered with some aggressive returns as she reeled off four games in a row to claim the first set. Jabeur's relentless groundstrokes earned her a 4-1 lead in the second set before her sixth-seeded opponent showed her experience to draw level at 4-4. Last year's finalist Kasatkina turned on the style in the tiebreak, claiming four straight points to force a decider. World number 101 Jabeur, who had battled through qualifying, showed understandable signs of fatigue as the match ticked past the two-hour mark, handing Kasatkina a crucial break on her way to a second career WTA title. World number 14 Kasatkina ended a run of three losses in the finals to clinch her first hardcourt title. The victory also earned her a trip to WTA Finals in Singapore, overtaking Aryna Sabalenka as the first alternate for the season-ending tournament next week.

Daria Kasatkina defeats Tunisian Jabeur to lift Kremlin Cup

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