26th January, 2020
Unseeded Tunisian Ons Jabeur sent Chinese hope Wang Qiang crashing out of the Australian Open on Sunday to become the first Tunisian woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final.
Wang stunned Serena Williams in the third round but the 27th seed ran out of steam against the powerful Jabeur, who fought back from a break down in the first set to win 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.
Jabeur, the highest-ranked Tunisian in history — she reached a career-high 51 last year — is the first Tunisian woman to win a main-draw match at the Australian Open.
“I’m really shaking right now, it’s unbelievable, I can’t describe how I feel,” said the 25-year-old, who will play America’s Sofia Kenin in the last eight.
“Last time Kenin won against me so maybe it’ll be my revenge,” added Jabeur, who lost to Kenin last year in Hobart and retired against her in Mallorca.
Ons Jabeur was born 28 August 1994 in Ksar Hellal. She had won 11 titles in ITF circuit, but none yet in WTA. Her best performance in Grand Slams, prior to now, had been the third round in US Open in 2019 and French Open in 2017. She reached the second round in Wimbledon in 2018.