Tunisian tennis star and two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur is taking a "step back" from tennis, she announced in a social media post on Thursday.
"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," Jabeur wrote in a statement.
"Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it's tim to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal and to rediscover the joy of simply living."
Jabeur, 30, then concluded her missive by promising she'll "continue to stay close and connected in different ways, and share this journey with you all," even while she's "away from the court."
Thank you for your support 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/AiffrjDzU0
— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) July 17, 2025
Notably, Jabeur's announcement comes just weeks after she was forced to retire from her first-round match at Wimbledon due to difficulty breathing. Prior to that, she lost in the first round of this year's French Open, months after straining a leg muscle at the Miami Open in March. In 2024, a shoulder injury ended her season early.
On Tuesday, it was announced that she had withdrawn from this year's Canadian Open, beginning next week.
Though her current WTA rank sits at 71, Jabeur holds a career high of No. 2. She has never won a major, but is a three-time Grand Slam Finalist—two Wimbledon finals (2022, 2023) and one U.S. Open final (2022).
More on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ons Jabeur, Three-Time Grand Slam Finalist, Taking 'Step Back' From Tennis.
