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Tunisia’s Jabeur defies sickness to claim notable scalp of Muguruza

Arab woman defeats former champion in three sets to book clash against impressive Swiatek

Ons Jabeur returns to Spain’s Garbine Muguruza during the women’s singles third round match at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images

Fri Jul 2 2021 - 21:30

Ons Jabeur defied a bout of sickness to knock out former champion Garbine Muguruza and reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time.

Jabeur became the first Arab woman to win a WTA Tour title when she lifted the trophy at Edgbaston Priory last month to give notice of her threat at the All England Club.

And the Tunisian has lived up to her billing, following up a second-round victory over Venus Williams by knocking out 11th seed Muguruza 5-7 6-3 6-2. She did so despite having to be sick in the corner of Centre Court before a match point.

Afterwards, the 26-year-old explained: . Yeah, it bothers me probably with the stress, fatigue, everything.

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“Sometimes when I drink water, the water doesn’t go through any more. That’s why I get sick. Honestly, I don’t want to interrupt the players, so I try to get rid of it and just continue playing.”

Jabeur will face Poland's Iga Swiatek, who is also looking like a major threat, on Manic Monday. Swiatek arrived at Wimbledon with no expectations, but the 20-year-old is surely a genuine contender after dismantling Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1 6-0 in less than an hour.

Swiatek, last year’s surprise French Open champion, had made just one previous appearance on the grass at the All England Club, a first-round defeat in 2019.

“I feel like I’m playing better and better every match, and I’m actually getting more confidence because I have been on a grass court for some time now. I’m practising a lot during my free days,” said the 20-year-old.

“I just feel the surface much, much better than at the beginning of the tournament. It’s easier to implement all the tactics that I wasn’t able to implement when I wasn’t feeling comfortable. It’s just easier to lead for me and to be aggressive on court and stay focused all the time.”

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who battled past Britain's Katie Boulter in three sets in round two, made far more serene progress this time.

The Belarusian was a 6-0 6-3 winner against Colombian qualifier Maria Camila Osorio Serrano. She will play 18th seed Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan, who breezed past America's Shelby Rogers 6-1 6-4, in the fourth round.

Karolina Pliskova, the eighth seed, beat fellow Czech Tereza Martincova 6-3 6-3 but former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, with a heavily strapped knee, lost in three to Russian wild card Ludmilla Samsonova.

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