Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur gets medical attention as she plays against Colombia’s Camila Osorio during their women’s singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 16, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur overcame a challenging asthma attack during her Australian Open match against Colombia’s Camila Osorio, pushing through the setback to secure her place in the third round.
The 30-year-old, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, is striving to return to peak form following a shoulder injury that jeopardised her career last year.
However, on Thursday, Jabeur was visibly emotional as her asthma symptoms flared during the match.
Currently ranked 39th after struggling with injuries, the former world number two endured a tough 2024 season, which saw her miss several key tournaments, including the US Open due to shoulder issues and the Paris Olympics because of a knee concern.
Jabeur had to end her season prematurely in September, only making her comeback at the start of 2025. She revealed that the extended break contributed to her asthma-related challenges.
“When I was younger, I was diagnosed with asthma, so having taken off a lot didn’t help. I think it provoked it even more,” Jabeur explained to reporters after her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Osorio.
The match appeared far from routine when Jabeur, after taking a 2-1 lead in the first set, slumped into her chair coughing and tapping her chest.
She wiped away tears before leaving the court for medical assistance but returned, determined to finish the match, despite not being at her best.
“It was very tough to play,” Jabeur admitted. “I had to not play long rallies. I was playing Camila. Not the best opponent when you’re in this condition, but I apologised at the end of the match because I really don’t want to behave like this on the court.”
Despite her struggles, Jabeur’s strong performance in the first set helped keep her motivated. “Luckily, I was playing really good. That really helped pump me up. If I had lost the first set, it would have been very difficult to continue,” she added.
Jabeur, twice a Wimbledon runner-up, is chasing history as she aims to become the first African and Arab woman to win a Grand Slam. While she acknowledged she is not yet back to her best, her confidence is growing.
“But it’s getting there,” she said. “I don’t want to be greedy just after coming back from an injury. Sometimes I get angry because I feel like I’m getting back there, but every time something happens.”
The 2020 Australian Open quarterfinalist now faces American eighth seed Emma Navarro in the third round. Navarro advanced after a hard-fought win against China’s Wang Xiyu, ranked 108th, in three sets.
Jabeur holds the upper hand in their head-to-head record, having defeated Navarro 6-3, 6-2, on clay in her hometown of Charleston in 2022.
