My game in my words. By Ons Jabeur (2024)

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“Most of the time I think, ‘Don’t try this at home.’”

Ons Jabeur, the world No 9, and three-time Grand Slam finalist, is arguably the best shotmaker in tennis. Right now, she’s talking about a particularly outrageous drop shot.

“Sometimes even during the point, I think, ‘What the hell (am I doing)?’.”

Drop shots are her staple, but lobs, tweeners, sliced passing shots, and a whole lot more are all part of her repertoire. And while Jabeur has a justifiable reputation for being one of the most infectious personalities on tour — she is known as the ‘Minister of Happiness’ and, at numerous points during our interview, fellow players and coaches stop to say hello — she also has a sad*stic streak.

“I love how the drop shot lands on clay. I love messing around with some players,” she says.

“It’s a lot of fun.”

Jabeur, 29, is speaking to The Athletic at the Italian Open in Rome, a tournament at which she went out early, leaving her potentially undercooked for the French Open. It’s been a tough year for Jabeur, who has struggled with a knee injury and hadn’t even reached a quarter-final until the Madrid Open earlier this month.

Now, she feels close to full fitness, ahead of Roland Garros starting on Sunday, May 26 and then Wimbledon at the beginning of July.

Jabeur has reached the last two Wimbledon finals, capturing the British tennis public’s hearts in the process. Her thrilling game style, honesty and vulnerability are a potent combination. After the first of those finals against Elena Rybakina, Jabeur held up her phone to show that she had set the lock screen to a picture of the Venus Rosewater dish that the winner of the women’s tournament receives. At the start of this year, she revealed that had she won Wimbledon last year, against Marketa Vondrousova, she would have had a break from tennis to start a family.

She doesn’t plan on doing so until she wins a Grand Slam.

Jabeur was also the runner-up at the 2022 US Open, and has the additional pressure that comes with being a figurehead for representation in tennis. If — and many would say, when — she wins a Grand Slam title, she would become the first African and Arab woman to do so.

She has a unique personality and game style, both quirky and hugely endearing, and believes the two are interlinked: “I try to mix it up when I’m on the court, and maybe this reflects my character as well. I like to have fun a little bit.”

Over the course of our discussion, as well as dissecting her shots, Jabeur explains how she is able to beat bigger hitters like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, what she learned from playing doubles with Serena Williams, and the different pressures of playing as the favourite.

This is Ons Jabeur: My game in my words.

The first shot comes from the Australian Open in 2020. This was Jabeur’s first major quarter-final, as she started to make the transition from gifted shotmaker to Grand Slam contender. In the third round against former champion Caroline Wozniacki, she pulled off a classic tennis combination.

Skip to 1:30 to watch.

You remember this one?

I do, it was a long time ago… (sings) when I was young (laughs). I remember that match for sure, and the lob, obviously.

The drop shot-lob is a classic tennis play. How do you make it work?

You need to get the player too close to the net, and that happens if you do a good drop shot. Once I’ve done that, I don’t have to go too hard with the lob because physically, scientifically, unless it’s someone like Rybakina who’s very tall and might get to it, then it’s a smart move.

You’re known for your drop shots. How and when do you decide to hit one? Let’s pause this one here — is it her position that tells you to go for it?

No, I don’t usually look at the players. Sometimes I do, but a lot of times I try to hide it as much as I can because, in this case, she thinks that I’m going for a backhand drive, but I switched at the last minute, and I make players… They don’t know if I’m going to hit hard or I’m going to do a drop shot. And that’s very, very good because players get caught between thinking, ‘Should I go forward or backwards?’

Now, the disguise is even more important, because a lot of players, they know me. And if my grip goes as if to hit a slice, they will run start to forward.

Does that make it harder for you because everyone knows you’re a drop shot specialist?

I love a challenge! I love a challenge for sure. So I have to vary it up. If for example, I’m in a slice position, sometimes I will slice deep so they don’t know if I’m going to hit a drop shot or not. You’re not going to show them this interview are you? (laughs)

This tournament was your first slam quarter-final. Did that change your mindset?

No, I just think when I’m having fun and I’m playing my game, that’s when I play the best. And definitely changing the rhythm is a big part of that. And when I say change the rhythm that doesn’t mean just drop shot or slice, but also high balls, this and that. I don’t have a game that is very flat and hard so I try to mix it up, and maybe this reflects my character as well. I like to have fun a little bit.

Did that always come naturally? When you started playing, did you like going for different kind of shots?

I asked my coach this and he told me that I started doing these things on my own, and he didn’t want to interfere and change my creativity on the court. And definitely that creativity is a big part of my game. Obviously, different players have different things. And I think that’s definitely me — showing my character on the court.

As well as having magic hands from the back of the court, Jabeur is also comfortable at the net. At Wimbledon in 2021 she demonstrated this with an old-school approach shot followed by a diving volley. The match against former Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza was so gruelling that Jabeur was sick at the back of the court on match point.

Skip to 1:03 to watch.

The diving volley is a Wimbledon staple, something we most associate with (three-time champion) Boris Becker. The approach shot here, is this what you were talking about with the disguise?

She thought that I was going for the drop shot here.

And then I pushed it a little bit. So I think she was a bit surprised as well. Now, the player that I am today, I would go either long or hit a short slice but here I think I didn’t want to hit the net.

And that kind of volley, is that something you practise?

No — only on grass, I think. To not hurt my knees (laughs).

And then I had to make up something with the volley. I wanted to stay low and not miss it, to not regret that I lost this point. I was having so much fun at Wimbledon that year.

Have you always felt comfortable at the net?

Comfortable volleying, yes. But, the approach, I think I needed to work more on it. And that helps with having the guts to go to the net.

How much is that something you’ve improved in? Do you feel much more confident now?

I definitely feel much better going to the net, but I still need to improve on that part as well — I think that’s very important.

Because it’s something that not that many players do now. It kind of sets you apart if you can and especially at Wimbledon with the low bounces.

Exactly, exactly. And if you’re playing a big hitter like Aryna or Elena or even Iga (Swiatek) — it’s definitely not a great idea to stay on the baseline with them.

And just thinking about Garbine, she retired recently. And she spoke about wanting to do other things and have a family. Is that a reminder just how difficult the life of a tennis player can be, trying to juggle playing with family? Which you’ve said is important to you.

I completely understand her decision. And we’ve all seen Garbine at the end, when she was playing, she wasn’t feeling so happy on the court. So I definitely get that decision. And travelling a lot. It can be really tiring and being away from your family. And especially for a woman, you need to plan your time to have a baby. And that’s a very difficult moment.

I really wish her all the best. And, I heard she’s getting married very soon, though I still didn’t get my invite — but it’s OK (laughs).

For Jabeur, 2022 was a breakthrough year. She reached two Grand Slam finals and a career-high ranking of No 2 in the world.

Prior to those Wimbledon and US Open finals, a big moment came in Madrid where Jabeur won her first Masters event, becoming the first Arab woman to do so. To do it, she had to rely on some characteristically creative shotmaking in the final against Jessica Pegula.

Skip to 10:05 to watch.

This is a big tournament win, and the drop shot is very important in the final.

Sometimes I make drop shots and I don’t even know how they made it.

And this one’s on the forehand side. You can do it off either wing — generally do you prefer the backhand drop shot?

I think so yeah, I’ve been doing it for a long time and it’s a more natural shot.

Why more so than the forehand?

I think I just started doing drop shots because I have the slice maybe. And then just try to hit drop shots from that side as well. I think I added the forehand years back and it became a second option as well.

It’s important, isn’t it, because especially on clay you need to have that disguise. This one’s slightly different because as it plays out, you’re put into a defensive position. That’s not a position you’d normally be advised to hit a drop shot from!

Most of the time I think: ‘Don’t try this at home.’

But like I said, I like a challenge. And I feel like there she wasn’t even expecting that I was going to do a drop shot. And I think it came from the fact that I was feeling the ball very nice that day.

So do you ever watch yourself back and think, ‘What was I thinking?’

Sometimes. Sometimes even during the point. I think, ‘What the hell?!’

I think: ‘Why did you do that?’ I’m in a very difficult position, but at the same time, I’m like, ‘It’s going to surprise them.’ They don’t think that I will do the drop shot from there.

Pegula certainly doesn’t, because she only just chases it down and then you win the point. You then have to chase the ball down yourself — how important to your game is it to have that kind of athleticism?

Well, yeah, here I have to anticipate the drop shot because she’s playing off a short ball and she’s not going to be able to hit it deep.

If you like to hit drop shots and make people run, I think you have to prepare yourself to run as well!

Yeah, players want to get their own back. How do you find it when players drop-shot you?

I used to take it worse before, but now I have come to terms with it and have to accept it as a taste of my own medicine.

What did winning this tournament do for your confidence?

It definitely helped me. And put me in a position I always saw myself in as a champion of a 1,000 event. I loved every minute of it.

The win made you one of the French Open favourites for that year, but you went out in the first round. Was that a reminder of how quickly a low sometimes follows a high?

Yeah, I mean you prepare really well for the clay and you think you’re going to finish amazing… But maybe it was a curse. It is what it is. It was still definitely a fun clay season that year.

You like playing on clay?

I love clay. I love sliding, love how the drop shot lands, I love messing around with some players. It’s a lot of fun.

I enjoy beautiful shots, I enjoy trick shots — having the point ending easier than it’s supposed to.

Were there players you admired watching growing up who played trick shots?

When I was younger I wanted to be outside playing rather than watching on TV. Kim (Clijsters) I watched, though she has a different game. I watched back Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and I met her so we were talking about the slices. Also Roger (Federer), such a great example of slicing and drop shots.

Despite her early exit at the French Open in 2022, Jabeur entered the grass-court season as one of the players to watch. Ahead of Wimbledon, the great Serena Williams chose Jabeur as her doubles partner for the warm-up event at Eastbourne.

The pair, christened Onsrena, won two matches together, before Jabeur had to pull out with injury ahead of their semi-final. In their first match together, against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, the scores were tied at 11-all in the final set tie-break when Jabeur took matters into her own hands…

Skip to 01:34:30 to watch.

Firstly, what was it like playing with Serena?

It was unbelievable — I felt so good but nervous at the same time. But she made me feel so comfortable on the court.

What did she say?

She would just be like, ‘Great shot’, really validating my choices of serve.

I can’t believe I came in front of her for this shot here! I didn’t even see her. I didn’t see her going for the backhand.

It looks like you’re telling her to go away. Such a funny thing to say to the great Serena Williams!

I just saw the opportunity there and I thought it was an easier choice to hit the drop shot than to go for power. Against two players who will return every ball. And yeah it was a good choice — sorry Serena!

Is there any disguise there?

They know me very well. She’s after it straight away. Also, Serena helped by going for the ball.

Did you observe anything in how Serena played or prepared?

Something I noticed was that, if she decides she’s going to do something, she will go for it. She decides she will ace on the T, she’ll do it. I’ve tried that and it didn’t work very well (laughs).

Would you like to play more doubles?

I like to play from time to time. I definitely enjoy it — and in good company. I like watching it too. The rallies and reactions they have are unbelievable.

Is it less stressful too?

Sometimes. It depends.

Jabeur entered Wimbledon the following week as the world No 2. She enchanted the crowd all the way until the final, where she won the first set but ultimately lost to Rybakina. There was still time for some of the most imaginative shots ever seen on Centre Court.

Skip to 2:41 to watch.

This is from the Wimbledon final two weeks later. Basically, a pick-up from the baseline.

Yeah, sometimes you just have to stay stable and try to take control of the ball. And I think that’s what happened there.

Is it about staying low?

I’m not that low, to be honest. I know some players that would really go low, lower than that. I think you just have to choose the angle where you gonna try and put the ball and stick with it. And that really helps for sure.

When you say stable — does that start with your legs?

Yeah, but it’s the core and the whole body — don’t go up with the ball, just stay with the ball.

Do you think about this match a lot?

Now I do, since you showed me this!

Ha, sorry about that.

I mean, it’s part of, hopefully the past. The future is bright.

At the next Grand Slam, the US Open, Jabeur was again a beaten finalist. This time she lost in straight sets by Swiatek, the world No 1. Again though, Jabeur showed her ability to produce sensational shots on the biggest stages.

Do you have a favoured side out of the forehand and backhand?

Well, I think I’ve made a couple of shots like this backhand. I think if I’m convinced that I should go there and open out then I can do that really well because if you take the decision and you’re convinced to go there then I think you can make the shot no matter what.

Like you saw up close with Serena. We spoke about disguise earlier — do you think here Iga is maybe a bit hesitant because she thinks you’ll go with the drop shot or the slice?

She didn’t think I would go with the backhand drive for sure. Maybe with the forehand she would expect that. But yeah, not with the backhand. It’s very, very, low percentage — to go down the line with the backhand.

But I feel comfortable if I really trust my backhand for sure.

How hard is it playing Iga, knowing she can be unstoppable once she gets going?

I think if you start thinking, ‘Ah, maybe I’m gonna get a 6-0 from Iga,’ then you’ll probably end up getting one. Getting that kind of karma. Not thinking like that is the most important thing. She’s such an amazing player, but you should always think about yourself and not get into that mindset.

As she says, Jabeur is at her best when feeling free on the court. In April 2023, in the final of the Charleston Open and with her opponent Belinda Bencic serving for the first set, she came up with a shot that was later named the WTA shot of the year. It’s actually an incredible pair of shots, because the backhand that follows is, in its own way, similarly spectacular.

Jabeur went on to win the set and the match for her first title of the year, avenging a final defeat to the same player 12 months earlier.

You remember this one?

Ah yeah, I know this one. I have no idea how I did it. I didn’t have any other choice to be honest.

At the time I thought the ball is going to hit me if I don’t move out of the way. And I was super late, the ball is right on me. It looks like the ball is gone.

Then this one was really stressful (the sliced backhand pass) because you’ve just played a nice shot and then you can’t miss the next one.

So you’re thinking, ‘I have to make this shot after the other one?’

Yes, exactly. And I had to laugh in the middle of the point, it hits me with my crazy mind sometimes. We kind of forgot about it after because it was the final and we got the trophy, and then we saw all the clips. It’s definitely a shot I will remember forever.

The shot, which is similar to the one we saw earlier against Rybakina, is one that very few players hit.

I’m very comfortable with the slice.

But as a passing shot, the slice has so little margin for error: If it’s not quite right they have an easy put-away.

Yeah, but I think they have to be really close to the net to make that shot. But if you pretend no one’s there and just hit it as a slice, well, then if they make it, then they made a great volley. Otherwise, it’s going to be a very tough shot.

Do you practise the tweener?

Not really. I do them from time to time in training, but I don’t really practise them as such.

Is there anything you do to prepare for the shot or is it just pure reactions?

Don’t overcomplicate it. It’s just the ball coming and you have to hit the strings of the racket. (laughs).

A few months later, Jabeur is in another Wimbledon semi-final. She beats world No 2 Sabalenka to reach the final and make it four Grand Slam champions beaten in as many matches, following wins over Bianca Andreescu, Petra Kvitova and Rybakina.

The semi-final against the hugely powerful Sabalenka is a thrilling match, and to get the win (6-7, 6-4, 6-3) from a set and a break down, Jabeur had to fight fire with fire…

Skip to 6:35 to watch.

We spoke about the backhand before, this is a big forehand…

Yeah, I know this one. A big forehand. I honestly closed my eyes and hoped for the best. With the shots of Aryna that’s what you have to do.

The position you’re in is no place to hit a winner from…

Yeah, with shots like this I think you have to go with no expectation and try and have a big margin. I went with a full wrist, tried to close it up — and if I tried to do it again I think it would be difficult. Definitely, with that stress, I’m glad that I made it.

Is this the strength and stability you were talking about?

Yeah, I’m kind of going straight towards the ball. Not losing balance at the back. I’m sure my abs are super tight there. That’s all the core work paying off.

When you’re playing someone like Sabalenka, who’s so powerful herself, do you just think, ‘Well I have to go for it’?

Yeah, because if you don’t go for it against these players then you’re going to be a bit screwed. Because if you give them a bit of time then they’re going to take it away from you. So whoever is taking control of the point from the beginning, that’s going to determine the match.

Do you prefer playing big hitters where you can maybe frustrate them a bit?

I always think when I play big hitters that either they’re going to take control of their game because they are more powerful than me. Or I’m going to take control by changing up the rhythm. Because both types of games will annoy the other, and whoever is going to be able to do it before the other one is going to win the match.

So it’s about who can impose their style?

100 per cent.

It must be hard because someone like Sabalenka is more powerful so you’re thinking: how can I play this match on my terms?

I think it’s self-confidence as well. Having the belief. Everyone has flaws and weaknesses and strengths. But if you’re able to resist big hitters like Aryna then that’s very powerful.

This was during a run of beating four straight slam winners. Was that your best run of form ever?

Beating Elena and then Aryna was definitely something I will cherish for the rest of my life.

How special is it for you playing at Wimbledon?

I always feel the love from the crowd there. It has a special place in my heart. And they made it a special place in my heart because growing up I always wanted to win Roland Garros but I have shifted to Wimbledon. I mean I would take Roland Garros as well…(laughs)

How hard was it then playing the final (a straight-sets defeat to the unseeded Vondrousova) where you’re the favourite?

Yeah. Aryna’s amazing and has an amazing game. So it’s always easier to lose to people higher ranked than lower than you.

We finish by looking ahead to the French Open and then Wimbledon, where Jabeur is dreaming of going one better after consecutive runner-up finishes.

“Hopefully,” she says, with a smile. “Third time’s a charm.”

And with that, and a couple more hellos to passers-by, the minister for happiness is on her way.

(Photos: Michael Regan; Frey/TPN/Getty Images; Design: Sean Reilly )