Ons Jabeur says working on her mental health has helped her cope with recent injury setbacks after recording her latest win at the French Open on Monday.
The world No.7 eased her way past America’s Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-1, to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time in her career. Jabeur’s latest victory is also a historic one with the Tunisian becoming the first African player in the Open Era to have reached the last eight of every Grand Slam tournament at least once. In her latest match against Pera, she broke her eight times and hit 16 winners during the 63-minute match.
“I’m very happy with the performance and with the way I was playing, especially coming back after an injury,” Jabeur said during her press conference.
“I was just taking it one match at a time, trying to make it to the second week. Now I’m gonna push more for the next few matches.”
Jabeur has dropped just one set in four matches played in the tournament so far this year, which was against Olga Danilovic in the previous round. She beat both Oceane Dodin and Lucia Broznetti in straight sets last week.
The run occurs during what has been a roller-coaster season for Jabeur who has been hit with multiple injury setbacks. Earlier in the season she underwent minor surgery on her knee before winning the Charleston Open. Then she was forced to pull out of a tournament in Madrid in May due to a calf injury.
“I have learned a lot about how to accept things, either good or bad,” she explains. “For me, being injured was part of my path and how the season would have started here this year.’
“I worked a lot on my mental health and on how to manage all this because I believe there are a lot of injuries that are connected to our emotional part. I’m trying to manage that.’
“The season is still long, so hopefully no more injuries and I can continue on a great path.”
In Jabeur’s eyes, looking after her mental health is just as important as her physical health because she believes the two are connected. Various other players have spoken publicly about working on their mental game, including world No.1 Iga Swiatek who travels the Tour with a Sports Psychologist.
“I believe that our body and our mind are connected. Your body is trying to give you a message and you have to listen to it. For me for example, if the knee is hurting there is a certain explanation for that. Maybe I’m trying to take control over things or not trying to be open-minded about some stuff. So I always try to look at the explanation of what my mind is trying to tell me.” She said.
Awaiting her in the next round will be Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia who recovered from a set and 3-0 down to defeat Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-5. The marathon clash lasted three hours and 51 minutes which is the third-longest women’s match to ever take place at the tournament. Jabeur has won her two previous meetings against Maia in straight sets.
“As I did at the beginning of the tournament, 70% of my focus will be on myself, 30% on the player from a tactical point of view,” the seventh seed stated.
