Tunisian tennis star and two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur has officially announced an indefinite break from the sport, citing emotional exhaustion and health struggles that have marred her recent form. The 30-year-old, who withdrew in tears from her second-round match at Wimbledon just two weeks ago, shared the news via a heartfelt Instagram post.
Emotional exit at 2025 Wimbledon
Jabeur’s Wimbledon campaign came to an abrupt end when she was forced to retire mid-match against Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova. After requesting a medical time-out during the fifth game, she was seen with an ice pack around her neck while having her blood pressure checked. Though she returned to the court 14 minutes later, she conceded the match while trailing 7-6(5), 2-0.
This marked another heartbreaking chapter in her 2025 season, which has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency.
I Haven’t Truly Felt Happy.
Opening up to her followers, Jabeur revealed the emotional toll the past two years have taken on her.
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, she wrote.
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.
She expressed her gratitude to fans, promising to stay connected during her hiatus:
Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always.
A career in pause, not in end
Despite reaching three Grand Slam finals, Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023, and the US Open in 2022, Jabeur remains in search of a maiden major title. A string of physical setbacks has seen her slide down the WTA rankings, prompting her to focus on recovery over competition.
At a press conference following her Wimbledon withdrawal, she hinted at the decision:
I wasn’t expecting not to feel good. I’ve been practising pretty well the last few days but I guess these things happen. It doesn’t really help me with my confidence... So I hope I’m going to feel better and we’ll see what’s going to happen.
[I will] definitely try to disconnect a little bit from tennis... recover and spend a little bit of time with the family and hopefully that could recharge me. Definitely ‘rest’ is the word for it.
During her time in tennis, Jabeur has won five singles titles on WTA Tour, including a WTA 1000 event at the 2022 Madrid Open, and has been runner-up at three majors. She is the first African and Arab woman to contest a major singles final.