After a long injury-plagued season that was one of the toughest of her career, Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur is looking to finish 2023 on a high with a positive showing at the prestigious WTA Finals in Cancun.
Physical problems hampered Jabeur throughout most of the year, limiting her ability to train consistently and compete at a high level, week in, week out.
The 29-year-old made her WTA Finals debut 12 months ago on the back of a stellar 2022 campaign that saw her rise to a career-high No 2 in the world.
A maiden WTA 1000 title triumph in Madrid, along with two Grand Slam finals reached at Wimbledon and the US Open, saw Jabeur make history for Tunisia, Africa and the Arab world, and she cemented her place amongst the game’s elite by qualifying as the No 2 seed for the season finale that features the top eight players in the world.
This year has been a different story. Health issues and numerous injuries – including knee, calf, back, ankle and wrist according to her coach Issam Jellali – have sidelined her on multiple occasions during the season and she punched her ticket to the WTA Finals just three weeks before tournament kick-off, ranked No 6 in the Race to Cancun.
Despite her problems, she still managed to pick up a WTA 500 title in Charleston, and a WTA 250 trophy in Ningbo, while also reaching the Wimbledon final – third at a Grand Slam – and the Roland Garros quarter-finals.
“Honestly it means a lot to qualify for the WTA Finals again,” said Jabeur, who begins her campaign in Cancun against US Open champion Coco Gauff on Monday.
“I’m just happy because this season it was unexpected that I qualified. It was a little bit stressful at the end but I don’t think it was as stressful as the year that I didn’t qualify, 2021. I’m pretty excited and hopefully I have much more experience than the last time I made it.”
Jabeur has been one of the most consistent players on tour over the last three seasons, amassing a 130-51 win-loss record since the start of 2021. She lifted five WTA trophies within that period – on all three surfaces, clay, grass and hard court – and made three major finals. With little time to rest and regularly going deep in tournaments over an extended period, Jabeur’s body has taken a beating, she tried to manage it all year.
“For sure it’s the accumulation of playing good the last couple of years; it’s not new injuries, they’re old ones that I keep treating and treating. But you know the level is high, the scheduling is not great, you travel all the time, you go from one continent to another in a matter of days, which is not great,” she said.
“And to be honest with you 2024 will be s******* than this year, so it’s going to be tougher on all the players and hopefully we can get through it, or the WTA should find a solution for us.”
It was her title in Ningbo four weeks ago that pretty much secured Jabeur’s place in the WTA Finals – a tournament she entered at the very last minute as a wildcard. She had to travel for two days from Mexico to France to China to make it there in time and it ultimately proved to be worth it.
There have been many lessons learnt for Jabeur in 2023, from handling the heartbreak of a second Wimbledon final defeat to dealing with the pressure of being the world No 2. But it’s the injuries that provided the biggest learning opportunity for her.
“I was very patient with the injuries really, I’m not someone that is patient, and Adel (Aref, her agent) could confirm that right away. He’s laughing,” she said, referring to her fellow Tunisian, who was standing nearby.
“So the fact that I was trying to be patient and just, I kind of let go and accepted that I have no control over what’s happening, I think that’s something that I learnt about myself. I think that’s one thing that really got stuck in my head and it’s something I did that I’ve never done before.”
Away from the court, Jabeur has been busy all season, joining the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), an body founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, which describes itself as the “the leading advocate for professional tennis players worldwide. We serve to protect and advance players’ wellbeing on and off court”.
Jabeur is typically outspoken and believes in voicing her opinion about matters close to her heart. As the Israel-Hamas war erupted, she posted a message on her Instagram stories calling for peace, denouncing all attacks on innocent civilians, and shedding light on the suffering of Palestinians.
“What Palestinians have been going through during the last 75 years is indescribable. What innocent civilians are going through is indescribable; no matter what their religion is, or what their origin is. Violence will never bring peace. I cannot stand with violence but I also cannot stand with people having their lands taken,” wrote Jabeur, who went on to emphasise the importance of understanding context.
She concluded her post by saying: “Peace is what everyone needs and deserves. Stop the violence and #FreePalestine.”
As a response, the Israeli Tennis Association filed a complaint against Jabeur to the ITF and WTA.
“What I wrote in my post on Instagram is what I support, and the biggest thing I believe in is peace,” Jabeur told The National.
“I’m very sad for the innocent people that are getting killed every day and I wish the world would react and end this war.
I actually was surprised they complained about it. I don’t even know why. My message was really peaceful
Ons Jabeur
“They filed the complaint to the WTA and I’m aware of it, they told me about it. But I didn’t say anything wrong. I just shared my opinion and I stayed within the rules. I actually was surprised they complained about it. I don’t even know why. My message was really peaceful.”
Jabeur has also spoken about her motivation to join Djokovic and Co. on the executive committee of the PTPA, and what she hopes to achieve with the group.
“I’m someone that really wants to help other players because I feel the love for this sport, it deserves much better,” said the Tunisian.
“This sport should give the opportunity to everyone that wants to start playing the game. When Novak and Vasek talked to me and explained to me what PTPA does, I was kind of new, I was just getting into the meetings, learning new stuff, and I feel like I learnt so many things about tennis that I didn’t even know before. Which is something I think really helped me and my confidence as well, because I feel more confident speaking about a lot of things.
“Also seeing Novak all the time and seeing his knowledge about so many things outside tennis, that really also helped me a lot. I think we’re in the process of changing a little bit the sport in a better way and that’s the goal; to really protect the players 100 per cent and protect everyone, not just No 1 or No 2, to hopefully help as many players as we can.”
In Cancun, Jabeur has landed in the same group as four-time major champion Iga Swiatek, American teen sensation Gauff and Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova. She hopes her experience from playing the round-robin format on her tournament debut last year could help her cause this time around, but she’s also eyeing some much-needed R&R once the season is officially over.
Her pre-season will include an exhibition match to be played against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Saudi Arabia, as part of the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup, which also features a clash between Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
“That’s going to be nice because I can play one match and also be in a country I want to discover more and hopefully bring tennis more there,” said Jabeur, who is a strong proponent of the WTA’s potential involvement with Saudi Arabia.
“Hopefully (the WTA goes there). Of course I’m one of the players that will push to go there. I feel this country deserves a chance to have sports events; they started of course with football and now I feel like tennis could be there. It’s not about the money, for me it’s about giving a chance to younger women, or any women to practice sports and discover amazing things.”
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Specs%20
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
UAE%20SQUAD
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The years Ramadan fell in May
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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