“It would be unacceptable for me not to be in the second week”, announced Ons Jabeur (6ᵉ world) when approaching the fortnight of Roland-Garros. Finally, the 27-year-old Tunisian will not even be there for the second day of the Parisian Grand Slam.
Presented as one of the favorites of Roland-Garros, capable of going to tickle the unstoppable world number 1 Iga Swiatek in this tournament, Ons Jabeur cracked as soon as he entered the running, against Magda Linette (52ᵉ world) Sunday May 22 .
FIRST SENSATION IN THIS ROLAND-GARROS 😲 Magda Linette 🇵🇱 releases Madrid champion and No. 6 seed, Ons… https://t.co/BQTAKetzAi
Jabeur, seeded number 6 and who has always dreamed of winning Roland-Garros, lost in three sets against the Pole after winning the first round (3-6, 7-6, 7-5). Unrecognizable, the Tunisian encountered the greatest difficulties in developing her game in the last two rounds. Until an unforced error on Linette’s first match point.
Impressive since the start of the season on clay, Ons Jabeur had acquired the status of contender for the Porte d’Auteuil title thanks to a title won in Madrid in early May against Jessica Pegula. Still on clay, she was beaten in the final by Belinda Bencic in Charleston in early April (1-6, 7-5, 4-6) and by Iga Swiatek last week in Rome (2-6, 2-6).
Eighth finalist in the last two editions, Jabeur came out the back door on the first day of the fortnight at Roland-Garros. This elimination suits Swiatek, whose path to victory now seems clear. The Pole expected to face Jabeur in the final. Undefeated for twenty-eight games, she must face, Monday in the first round, the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko.
Another “victim” of this first day: Dominic Thiem will not see the second round. The Austrian, finalist in 2018 and 2019, but dropped to 194and world place after nine months without playing and a severe depression following his success at the US Open 2020, was beaten in three sets by the Bolivian Hugo Dellien (6-3, 6-2, 6-4).
