Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian tennis sensation and three-time Grand Slam finalist, will be sidelined for the rest of the 2024 WTA season due to a persistent shoulder injury. The announcement came on Monday, leaving fans disappointed but understanding of the decision. Jabeur has faced a challenging year, struggling to maintain her usual form and battling fitness issues. This has seen her ranking slip to 22nd in the world, a far cry from the heights she has reached in recent years.
The shoulder injury forced Jabeur to miss the recent US Open, a tournament she had hoped to compete in. She last played in early August, suffering a heavy defeat to Naomi Osaka in Toronto. Following the injury, Jabeur, known for her fighting spirit and resilience, took to social media to share the news with her fans. “This year has been extremely hard for me and as athletes, we know that recovery is part of the journey,” she stated, acknowledging the difficult decision she faced. She added, “Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I’ve made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the season.”
While the news is disheartening for Jabeur and her fans, there is a silver lining. The 30-year-old tennis star has set her sights on a return to the court at the start of the 2025 season in Australia. This gives her ample time to fully recover and regain the strength and fitness needed to compete at the top level. Her unwavering determination and commitment to her craft are evident in her decision to focus on a complete recovery rather than rushing back prematurely. We can expect to see Jabeur back in action, ready to reclaim her position as one of the world’s leading tennis players, in the new year.
