Three-time Grand Slam finalist Jabeur announces break from tennis

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FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 30, 2025 Tunisias Ons Jabeur during her first round match against Bulgarias Viktoriya Tomova REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur is taking a break from competitive tennis, the 30-year-old said in a social media post on Thursday.

Tunisias Jabeur, the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final, has struggled with her form in recent months, failing to get past the third round of a major this year.

The two-time Wimbledon finalists campaign came to a disappointing end at the All England Club last month as she retired from her first-round clash against Viktoriya Tomova, unable to continue after a long medical timeout.

The former world number two suffers from asthma and experienced breathing difficulties at this years Australian Open.

Jabeur, often called the minister of happiness for her cheerful personality, said she was not feeling truly happy on the court.

For the past two years, Ive been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges. But deep down, I havent truly felt happy on the court for some time now, she said in a statement.

Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel its time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy of simply living.

Jabeur, married to former fencer Karim Kamoun, has also been