Ons Jabeur 'most interesting story in 2023' - Eurosport experts as Tunisian eyes first Grand Slam at Australian Open

Updated 06/01/2023 at 07:11 GMT

Eurosport's experts have had their say on Ons Jabeur in 2023, with Mats Wilander revealing his belief that the Tunisian can get to another Grand Slam final in 2023. Jabeur's 2022 was something of a breakout season, reaching two major finals, but she will want to take the final step this year. John McEnroe thinks it might come down to physical conditioning.

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Ons Jabeur "will be the most interesting story in 2023" believes Mats Wilander, as the Tunisian eyes a first Grand Slam title following her two final losses in 2022.

Jabeur had never got past the quarter-final stage of any major prior to last year, but then reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open.

She lost both of those matches - to Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek respectively - but ended the year as world No. 2 and goes into the Australian Open as one of the favourites for the title.

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In an exclusive conversation with Eurosport's Arnold Montgault, Wilander said: "Jabeur is going to be the most interesting story for me in 2023, because the year she had in 2022 is absolutely incredible.

"To get to No. 2 in the world, to make two Grand Slam finals in a row, to be able to actually challenge both players in both of those finals. Because at times it looked in the US Open final against Iga that she wasn't going to be able to challenge. But she managed to come back and lose the second set, 7-6.

"Against Rybakina in the Wimbledon final, she won the first set, and she could have very well have won that Wimbledon final.

"So in terms of her own self-belief, I think that there's a really good chance that she thinks she can win one or two majors.

"I am imagining that she's going to get to at least one Grand Slam final again [in 2023]. I really do."

Fellow Eurosport pundit John McEnroe thinks the key to Jabeur making the breakthrough might be her physical fitness.

"I think that she’s got a great mind, cerebrally," the seven-time major winner told Eurosport's Reem Abulleil. "She does a lot of things players don’t like, her opponents. She’s got a lot of things, she gives them different looks, different spins. She’s got the game and she has a natural feel for the sport. She's a great tennis player.

"The game in men and women physically is faster than it’s ever been. So therefore, conditioning and athletic abilities are more at a premium than it ever was for men and women.

"I would say this for everyone, but someone like Jabeur who plays that crafty game, who’s not going to blow you off the court, needs to be in that superior fitness so that she can do her thing and impact her opponents more and not think ‘if I’m running out of gas I‘ve got to get out of my comfort zone’.

"I think there's more that she could do from that aspect. Probably more everyone could do, but I think because of the style she plays, it’s more of a premium for her.

Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur smiles during a practice session ahead of the WTA Adelaide International tournament in Adelaide on December 31, 2022.

Image credit: Getty Images

"The game is there, the head’s there, but the commitment - that I had trouble with myself - to get that 100%. 90% might not be good enough to win the majors, you might need to be 95-100%."

Barbara Schett thinks dealing with external stressors will be another key to Jabeur's success in 2023.

"It'll be interesting to see when she comes to Australia in what form she's at, especially mentally as well, how her approach is," Schett told Eurosport's Montgault.

"Because once again, there's a lot of attention all around the world on her and that's probably not that easy to handle as well. And that's a new situation for her. I mean, this is only the first year she's kind of defending all that.

"What she's achieved last year, it was the first time, and then there's certainly a little bit more pressure on her as well.

"I think she's very important because, especially in that Arabic area, it's not normal for women to do any sports, to play tennis.

"So she's a spokesperson, she uses this platform extremely well. She mentions it all the time as well, that she wants more Arab women to be able to play tennis and do something for the sport.

"I love that about her."

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Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk

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