JAKARTA - Runner-up Wimbledon Ons Jabeur described his third defeat in the Grand Slam final as "most painful" in his career.
World number six Jabeur was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Czechs who were not seeded by Marketa Vondrousova, Saturday (15/7), one year after he lost in the Wimbledon final to Elena Rybakina.
The pain followed afterwards when at the US Open he returned to being runner-up, this time after losing to Iga Swiatek.
The 28-year-old is the eighth woman to lose in her first three Grand Slam finals.
However, he was entertained to learn that a number of tennis legends, including Chris Evert, Kim CLijsters and Simona Halep, also suffered the same fate before winning the Grand Slam title.
"It will be difficult to talk. I will look ugly in the photos so it won't help," Jabeur said after failing to become the first female player from Arab or African to win a Grand Slam singles title, as quoted by Antara, Sunday.
"I think this is the most painful defeat of my career."
VOIR éGALEMENT:
"I promise to come back one day and win this tournament."
Former world number one CLijsters lost in the finals of the French Open 2001 and 2003, the US Open title race in 2003, and the Australian Open final in 2004.
However, the Belgian ended his career by winning four major tournaments, the first in New York in 2005.
"I really love Kim. She is a big inspiration for me," said Jabeur who saw the Clijsters behind the screen of the Center Court.
"The fact that he took the time to give me advice and really hugged me, was always there for me, I thought it was priceless."
"He told me all the time he lost four times. That's why I know the information, otherwise it won't be difficult. But, yes, that's the positive side. You can't force something."
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