London: Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur’s 2024 campaign came to a heartbreaking early end on Monday, as the Tunisian star was forced to retire in her first-round match against Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova due to health concerns amid sweltering conditions at the All England Club.
Jabeur, who reached the Wimbledon final in both 2022 and 2023, appeared visibly distressed during her time on Court 14, struggling in the oppressive heat as temperatures soared to 92°F (33.3°C). The former World No. 2 dropped a tight first set in a tiebreak and was trailing 2-0 in the second when she called time on the match. She had taken a lengthy medical timeout in the opening set and was seen in tears before eventually making the difficult decision to withdraw.
The 30-year-old, who suffers from asthma and had already experienced breathing difficulties earlier this year at the Australian Open, admitted the situation had caught her off guard. “I wasn’t expecting not to feel good,” she said post-match. IANS
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