NEW DELHI: Tunisia's Ons Jabeur successfully overcame a medical scare to advance to the second round of the US Open in New York on Tuesday, defeating Colombia's Camila Osorio in straight sets.
Jabeur, who has been striving for her first Grand Slam title following three heartrending losses in finals since 2022, launched her US Open journey with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) triumph on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The 29-year-old faced difficulties during a tense first set, expressing concerns about her breathing to the chair umpire after Osorio made a strong comeback from a 4-1 deficit to level the score at 4-4.
Amidst the challenges, Jabeur received medical attention after falling behind 5-4 in the first set, and it appeared that her blood pressure was assessed during a timeout.
Despite the setbacks, she rallied and secured the first set. Jabeur also seemed poised for victory after holding two match points in the second set while leading 5-3. However, Osorio staged a comeback to avoid defeat, leveling the score at 5-5 after breaking Jabeur's serve.
Jabeur managed to break back immediately, taking a 6-5 lead, but was once again broken, resulting in the second set heading to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Jabeur proved her resilience, overpowering Osorio and securing the win. She is now set to face the Czech Republic's Linda Noskova in the second round.
(With AFP inputs)
