‘We called her Roger Federer’: How Ons Jabeur made her mark in Tunisia

Tunisian tennis coach Nabil Mlika, who trained a young Ons Jabeur for 10 years, teaches students at the Hammam Sousse tennis club in the Mediterranean port city of Sousse on May 13, 2022.  (AFP)
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Updated 21 May 2022
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‘We called her Roger Federer’: How Ons Jabeur made her mark in Tunisia

  • Jabeur, who hopes to win a maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open which starts in Paris on Sunday, started playing on courts belonging to local hotels
  • She has gone on to rise to sixth place in the global Women’s Tennis Association’s women’s singles rankings — the first Arab woman ever to reach the world top 10

HAMMAM SOUSSE, Tunisia: Fifteen years before Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab or African woman to win a top-flight tennis title, her adolescent sparring partner could see she was destined for glory even if he suffered a broken arm in the process.

Omar Laabidi remembers being repeatedly beaten by a 12-year-old Jabeur, who this month surged to victory at the Madrid Open at the age of 27 — the first WTA 1000 trophy of her career.

“We used to call her Roger Federer,” he said.

Laabidi was talking at the tennis club where it all began, in the North African country’s coastal town of Hammam Sousse.

“One time during a training match she hit a drop shot that I tried so hard to return that I broke my arm,” he said.

Jabeur, who hopes to win a maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open which starts in Paris on Sunday, started playing on courts belonging to local hotels.




Omar Laabidi, the adolescent sparring partner of Ons Jabeur, teaches students at the Hammam Sousse tennis club in the Mediterranean port city of Sousse on May 13, 2022.  (AFP)

But she soon joined the Hammam Sousse Club, which now bears a huge portrait of its most famous graduate.

It was there that Nabil Mlika first trained a talented girl “determined to stand out” against both female and male peers.

But Mlika, who trained a young Jabeur for 10 years, said there was a moment where she almost quit the sport.

“She had great ball control, to the point where other coaches tried to attract her to handball,” said the 55-year-old.

“Ons thought seriously about switching sport — but decided to stick to tennis.”

She has gone on to rise to sixth place in the global Women’s Tennis Association’s women’s singles rankings — the first Arab woman ever to reach the world top 10.

She also reached the final of the Italian Open in mid-May, eventually won by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

Jabeur, known to many Tunisians as “the minister for happiness,” was born in the southern coastal town of Ksar Hellal, one of four siblings.

She moved to the capital Tunis at the age of 12 to train at a prestigious state-backed sports club.

She has been married to her physical trainer and former fencer, Karim Kammoun, since 2015.

The right-hander is known for her stamina and for constantly changing the pace of the match.

“She hates playing at one pace. She’s always trying to create a spectacle by switching up the game with shots that surprise her opponents, especially with drop shots,” said Mlika.

“She’s really the queen of the drop shot.”

Jabeur made her first entry to the global scene in 2011, winning the girls’ singles finals at the French Open at the age of 16.

Laabidi also moved to Tunis around the same time as the adolescent Jabeur and joined the same academy, where they continued sparring.

“She was always fun and quickly got to know strangers,” he said.

“But she was always provocative and competitively debating on all subjects.”

Those who knew her as a teenager say she has changed little despite her growing fame.

“She still runs around gathering up all the balls during training, which she’s been doing since she started playing,” said Mlika.

Unsurprisingly, as her fame has spiralled since 2018, subscriptions have skyrocketed at her home club from 320 to more than 700 students today.

For Yousra Koubaa, the mother of eight-year-old student Yasmine, Jabeur is “an example of hope, one we’re always showing to our children.”

Mlika says he uses photos of a young Jabeur to inspire his students today.

“She was a spark of enthusiasm, always moving and wanting to show that she was the best,” he said.

“She always put me in a difficult position because I had to balance between taking the training up a level, or waiting for her peers to catch up with her level and her pace.”


Team Speedcar Audi makes it 4 as Elite takes crown in Jeddah

Updated 22 sec ago
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Team Speedcar Audi makes it 4 as Elite takes crown in Jeddah

  • The #3 Team Speedcar Audi had to win if the French duo was to stand a chance of taking the title
  • The #78 Elite Motorsport McLaren required a finish of 8th or better secure the crown, ultimately surviving a nervy race to take 5th at the Saudi venue

JEDDAH: French racers Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche secured a fourth successive GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club victory by taking Saturday’s season finale in Jeddah.
However, the win was not enough to stop Tom Lebbon and Josh Rattican from being crowned 2024 Silver class champions, said a media statement.
The #3 Team Speedcar Audi had to win if the French duo was to stand a chance of taking the title and did exactly that thanks to another inch-perfect performance.
The #78 Elite Motorsport McLaren required a finish of eighth or better secure the crown, ultimately surviving a nervy race to take fifth at the Saudi venue.
Meanwhile, NM Racing Team bagged the Pro-Am win, while a third-place result was enough to seal the class crown for Finn Zulauf and Max Kronberg (#30 W&S Motorsport Porsche). Am honors went to Kevin Jimenez and Florent Grizaud (#72 GPA Racing Aston Martin), who triumphed for a second time this term.
Speedcar Audi had qualified on pole, but started fourth on the grid following a penalty for Consani blocking a rival car during qualifying. The Frenchman wasted no time in returning to the front, immediately jumping to third before passing both the pole-sitting #77 Elite Motorsport McLaren and the #17 L’Espace Bienvenue BMW on successive laps.
As the race settled down the #3 Audi established an advantage at the head of the field and remained in control following a full-course yellow and safety car intervention.
Behind, the #17 BMW held on to second ahead of the #77 McLaren, the #62 Academy Motorsport Ford and the #78 McLaren.
The front two remained unchanged after the pit window, while the Ford leapfrogged the #77 for third spot. Now in the hands of Lariche, the Audi stretched its advantage significantly during the second half. Indeed, by the time the checkered flag fell the Frenchman was more than 11 seconds clear of the #17 BMW.
The Team Speedcar crew had done everything they could to snatch the title.
With the Audi disappearing up the road, attention switched to the progress of the #78 McLaren, which was driven by Rattican during the second stint.
He lost a place to the #82 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin of Jamie Day, who also overhauled the #77 McLaren a few laps later. The #78 then passed the sister car, which had been handed a five-second track limits penalty.
Rattican could have cruised to the finish, but instead spent the closing minutes in a close-fought battle for the final spot on the podium, which ultimately went to the #82 Aston Martin after a last-lap pass on the #62 Ford.
There were nervous faces in the Elite garage, but the McLaren squad could breathe a sigh of relief when Rattican crossed the line in fifth to seal the Silver title.
The GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club will return on Apr. 11-13 when Circuit Paul Ricard launches another season of multi-class racing.


Motorsport hero Valentino Rossi gives his verdict on Jeddah street circuit

Updated 13 min 55 sec ago
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Motorsport hero Valentino Rossi gives his verdict on Jeddah street circuit

  • BMW driver competing in Saudi Arabia for first time says: ‘I really like the atmosphere’
  • Rossi chasing victory in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe final round

JEDDAH: After finishing his opening laps on Jeddah Corniche on the first day of the final round of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, Italian race car driver and former motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi said that racing at the Jeddah Circuit is both an exciting and challenging experience.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the day, Rossi said that he enjoyed the experience behind the wheel on the fastest street circuit in the world.
“First of all, let me say that this is my first time in Saudi Arabia and I really like the atmosphere. We are really enjoying our stay while competing.
“Regarding the circuit, it is surrounded by walls as it is a street circuit, which makes the race more difficult with 49 cars racing on the circuit at the same time.
The Italian racing legend — known as “The Doctor” because of his clinical dismantling of opponents — said: “My first impression was OK. It is very slippery and you have to go fast between the walls, but in the end we got used to it through the last two days since we arrived.”
He added: “It is well known that street circuits often require extra effort from drivers. The walls are very close to the track.”
The BMW factory driver told Arab News that he is enjoying competing in the GT World Challenge Europe, and hopes to continue with a positive result on the final day on Saturday.
“We really had a good season and our performance is getting better in the hope to bring a successful result Saturday night,” he said.
The seven-time MotoGP world champion retired from MotoGP in 2021, and is currently competing in both the World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe for BMW.


Benzema shines as leaders Al-Ittihad thrash Al-Ettifaq

Updated 29 min 19 sec ago
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Benzema shines as leaders Al-Ittihad thrash Al-Ettifaq

  • In his first league appearance after missing the last four games through injury, the French forward had the ball in the net after 27 minutes

JEDDAH: Karim Benzema returned to action in style Saturday as Al-Ittihad won 4-0 at Ettifaq, scoring one and recording two assists to help the leaders stay on top of the Saudi Pro League.

In his first league appearance after missing the last four games through injury, the French forward had the ball in the net after 27 minutes. A beautiful short pass inside the area from N’Golo Kante took out three defenders to leave Benzema to sweep home from close range but VAR ruled that he had been just offside.

The roles were reversed eight minutes later and this time the goal stood. Benzema picked up possession in a crowded situation just outside the area, slipped a little pass to his right for Kante to burst into the box in a central occasion to fire home a low shot.

Eight minutes after the restart, Benzema got his goal. Marek Rodak got down well to save a fierce shot from Steven Bergwijn and there was the French striker to show his goal scoring instinct to pounce upon the rebound to put the ball into an empty net. It was a ninth goal of the season that puts him level with Cristiano Ronaldo in the standings, three behind Al-Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Two more goals came in quick succession midway through the second half. After 66 minutes Houssem Aouar made it three and then Bergwijn added to Ettifaq’s pain four minutes later, running clear of the defence to score after a fine pass from Benzema.

It was harsh on the home team who have now gone nine league games without a win. The pressure was already on head coach Steven Gerrard but the Liverpool legend and his team are now just three points clear of the relegation zone. Next comes a tricky away trip to Al-Khaleej.

Al-Ittihad meanwhile are riding high.


Barcelona lose at home for 1st time this season, falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

Updated 30 November 2024
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Barcelona lose at home for 1st time this season, falling 2-1 to Las Palmas

  • Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick
  • They have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win

BARCELONA: Barcelona lost at home for the first time this season when the Spanish league leader were stunned 2-1 by Las Palmas on Saturday.
Barcelona had played superbly in the first three months under new coach Hansi Flick and were flying high after convincing victories over Real Madrid in the domestic competition and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
They had won all eight home games overall.
But they have now gone three rounds of La Liga without a win. Prior to the loss to Las Palmas, they fell 1-0 at Real Sociedad and drew 2-2 at Celta Vigo.
Madrid, despite their own troubles especially in the Champions League, can now move ahead of Barcelona in the Spanish league. They trail Barcelona by four points with two games more to play.
Sandro Ramirez and Fábio Silva scored for the Canary Islands club on either side of Raphina’s equalizer.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal returned from a right ankle injury that had sidelined with for three weeks as a halftime substitute, but Jasper Cillessen saved his best shot. The Las Palmas goalkeeper also did well to palm a Raphinha free kick over his bar in the final minutes.


Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

Updated 30 November 2024
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Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

  • Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second

LUSAIL, Qatar: McLaren neared its first Formula 1 constructors’ title in 26 years as Lando Norris handed Oscar Piastri victory in a one-two finish for the team in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday.
Norris started on pole position and kept the lead at the start as Piastri squeezed past the Mercedes of George Russell for second.
Norris gave the lead to Piastri with the finish line in sight, paying his teammate back for gifting him a win in the sprint race in Brazil when Norris was still fighting Max Verstappen for the drivers’ title. Russell finished third.
Verstappen — crowned the drivers’ champion last week in Las Vegas — finished eighth and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was last after a pit stop to change his car’s nose.
Qualifying takes place later Saturday for Sunday’s Grand Prix race.