Interview: Ons Jabeur’s coach Issam Jellali talks tough 2023 season, missing piece of Grand Slam puzzle, and more

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia reacts as she competes against Vera Zvonareva of Russia during the women's singles quarter-final match at WTA Ningbo Open tennis tournament in Ningbo, in China's (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 03 November 2023
Follow

Interview: Ons Jabeur’s coach Issam Jellali talks tough 2023 season, missing piece of Grand Slam puzzle, and more

  • Tunisian speaks exclusively to Arab News from the WTA Finals in Cancun

As Ons Jabeur burst into tears during an on-court interview at the WTA Finals in Cancun on Wednesday and announced she would be donating a portion of her prize money to Palestinian aid, many people around the world cried with her, including members of her team.

The Tunisian tennis star made a humanitarian plea, praying for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza.

“It’s very tough seeing children, babies dying every day,” said a tearful Jabeur. “It’s heartbreaking … it’s not a political message, it’s just humanity. I want peace in this world and that’s it.”

For many years, Jabeur has been referred to as the Minister of Happiness back home in Tunisia. Perhaps now, she has also become the Minister of Peace. 

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Always an honor to coach a human before the player,” wrote Jabeur’s coach Issam Jellali on social media, in the wake of his compatriot’s emotional speech.

Jellali has been Jabeur’s coach for almost four years and has helped guide her to a series of history-making feats in the sport.

With Jellali in her corner, Jabeur became the highest-ranked African singles player in tennis history — peaking at No. 2 in the world last year — and the first African or Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final (she has made three).

The 29-year-old, currently ranked No. 7, is an icon and role model for the Arab world, Africa, and beyond, and has grown accustomed to the notion of representing something far bigger than herself. 

“She’s very happy to represent or to talk or to be there for the Arabs, Africans, Tunisians; if you ask her to do that, she’s the first one who’s in. Even if she has to play a match, she’ll go there and then go play a match,” Jellali told Arab News in an interview on the eve of the ongoing WTA Finals.

Jellali rarely speaks to the press and prefers to keep a low-profile, travelling the world with Team Jabeur, which predominantly consists of himself, Ons, and her husband/fitness trainer Karim Kamoun.

He is a true student of the game and a human encyclopedia when it comes to knowledge of Jabeur’s competitors. He says he considers himself “lucky” for getting to experience this historic ride with Jabeur.

“Before I started with Ons, the idea of seeing someone from my country playing at this level, it wasn’t just a dream, it’s like someone will slap you and say ‘wake up.’ You cannot imagine someone from your country, who is going to be No. 2 in the world or getting to the top 10, getting to three Grand Slam finals, and making it two times in a row to the WTA Finals — it’s a dream,” he mused.

While 2022 was a banner year for Jabeur, in which she won a maiden WTA 1000 title and reached two major finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, 2023 was arguably her toughest season to date, plagued by injuries and setbacks. Still, she managed to qualify to the WTA Finals for a second consecutive year as one of the top eight players in the race.

Jellali says it’s a “miracle” they made it to the season finale in Cancun, where Jabeur lost her opener to Coco Gauff but bounced back with a convincing victory over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in her second round-robin match on Wednesday. On Friday, she will need to defeat four-time major winner Iga Swiatek in order to advance to the semifinals.

“Just before the US Open we didn’t even know if we can finish the season,” confessed Jellali. “For us, this tournament is like a win-win week. We are happy to be here. It was one of the toughest seasons. Most of the tournaments that she played she was not fit 100 percent. So we were not expecting to be here and that’s why it’s a miracle.”

From health issues to knee, back, ankle, calf, and wrist problems, Jabeur tackled one injury after the other throughout the season. Despite that, she still managed to reach a second Wimbledon final and lift two champion’s trophies in Charleston and Ningbo.

“I can tell you that as a coach, I only had three weeks in this full season where I was able to do what I want (in practice with Ons). She was not fit at all. It started from the preseason, so even the preseason we didn’t do it properly,” explained Jellali.

“I remember before our Berlin tournament, onsite we had a 20-minute practice only, we weren’t able to play, then we went straight to the match. Every week there was something and we had to deal with all this.”

The team weighed their options between pulling the plug on the season in order for her to fully recover versus sticking to the schedule and managing her injuries week by week, ensuring it was not causing any further damage.

“At this stage we know that there is a part where you need to learn how to play with the pain. Now, where she has had three consecutive seasons where she needed to play a lot of matches, which she wasn’t used to before, we’re going to get a lot of this. So we decided to continue,” said Jellali.

Besides her physical woes, the mental toll some of Jabeur’s losses took on her was perhaps even tougher to overcome. The Tunisian suffered a narrow defeat to Beatriz Haddad Maia in the French Open quarterfinals before losing a heartbreaking loss to Vondrousova in her second Wimbledon final. Jabeur looked inconsolable after that match at the All England Club and even skipped a WTA 1000 event in Canada after that to give herself time to recover emotionally and psychologically.

After losing two major finals last year, even Jellali thought this summer’s Wimbledon was going to be Jabeur’s big moment to shine and fulfill a lifelong dream.

So what did he tell her after that gut-wrenching defeat?

“I told her, ‘We lost three finals, we cannot lose four finals,’” he said with a laugh. “No, I really told her, ‘If we didn’t get this final, that means there is something missing. We are not ready to win a Grand Slam final yet and I think it’s the best motivation to keep working and to try to improve ourselves more and more.’ That’s what I told her right after the final.

“And if we think about it, it’s the reality. Even me as a coach I thought that this time is going to be the right time. We had played two previous finals and I thought that she’s ready for that. But it’s not about tennis, it’s not about rhythm, and that’s what we’re working on.”

Jellali says he “100 percent has the faith” that Jabeur will win a Grand Slam and finds it his duty to keep the whole team in a positive mindset as they pursue this historic goal together.

“It’s very simple, we are getting close, but if she didn’t get it yet, that means there is something missing, it’s obvious, it’s clear. This final made us touch the exact thing we need to get over this. So we are giving a lot of focus on that aspect,” he added. 

“Basically it’s easy to say, ‘Just be yourself.’ I want to be myself but there are many things around. So we are working on all those things coming from outside the court, playing under pressure, putting herself in situations where she needs to feel the pressure and find ways to get out of that. That’s why I say this season is very important for the next ones. We believe and trust that it’s coming insha’Allah.”

There is a certain degree of pressure that naturally comes with competing at a high level in professional sport, but Jabeur also has the added burden of constantly playing for history, as she chases one unprecedented feat after another as a Tunisian, African and Arab woman.

After every win she picks up on the big stage, an interviewer asks her about being a trailblazer and what it feels like to represent an entire continent or region.

“My personal thoughts on that are that I think it’s true that these kind of things (making history) were giving her a lot of energy. Now it’s coming back against her,” said Jellali.

“Yes, it was helping, it’s good to play for everyone, it’s good to represent the Arab world, the African continent, and everything, but now it’s becoming a lot on her shoulders. Because now she needs to deal more with what’s coming on the court.

“Whatever is coming from the outside, it’s not going to be positive anymore, it’s negative. But at the same time, you can’t take all of this away just like that. There are steps.”

Jellali, who had never coached at this top level before, feels the beauty of his journey with Team Jabeur is that they are all experiencing these big moments together for the first time. Just like Jabeur is proving to the world that a Tunisian can make it to the upper echelons of the sport, she is also showing it can be done with an all-Tunisian team, while living and training in Tunisia.

“There are more players now in Tunisia and everyone is dreaming. Because they used to see Ons go to the same school where they used to go, practicing with the same coaches, she came out from there. So it’s normal. They will say, if she did it, why can’t we do it?” he said.

As they all continue to learn together, Jellali explained how they will have a different approach to this preseason, where they will make sure Jabeur is fully fit before she gets back to training in preparation for 2024; even if it means they start later than expected.

“I think she will gain a lot from this season and I can tell you that she’s more motivated than ever,” he said.


Al-Khaleej stun Al-Hilal with comeback win

Updated 23 November 2024
Follow

Al-Khaleej stun Al-Hilal with comeback win

  • Defeat was first for reigning champions in the league in 46 games since May 2023

RIYADH: Al-Hilal lost 3-2 at Al-Khaleej on Saturday, a result made even more stunning as the all-conquering champions had been winning 2-0.

It is a defeat, a first in the league in 46 games since May 2023, that not only blows the title race wide open but shows that the champions are not invincible.

Al-Ittihad will go two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League if they beat Al-Fateh on Sunday. It also means that Al-Nassr stay five points behind and are not out of the running.

The Blues had the better of the play from the beginning and few were surprised when Marcos Leonardo put the leaders ahead after just 12 minutes.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic won the ball on the edge of the area as Khaleej tried to play out from the back and there was Leonardo to stroke a low shot home.

Eight minutes before the break, Aleksandar Mitrovic struck with his 12th goal in the SPL this season. Salem Al-Dawsari, such a big miss for Saudi Arabia in recent World Cup qualifiers, curled over a corner and there was the Serbian striker to head home.

It seemed to be all over but then the hosts were handed a lifeline on the stroke of half time. Kalidou Koulibaly made a clumsy challenge in the area and while Yassine Bounou saved the penalty from Konstantinos Fortounis, Abdullah Al-Salem reacted the quickest to shoot the rebound home.

Al-Salem stunned Al-Hilal soon after the restart with a stunning goal. The hosts made uncharacteristic defensive mistakes and Khalid Narey fed the ball  to the 31 year-old who chipped Bounou delightfully from the right side of the area.

With five minutes remaining, Fabio Martins side footed home from another Narey assist to provoke wild celebrations as Al-Khaleej move into sixth. Al-Hilal stay top but maybe not for much longer.

 


Spurs thrash Man City 4-0 to end 52-match unbeaten home run

Updated 23 November 2024
Follow

Spurs thrash Man City 4-0 to end 52-match unbeaten home run

  • James Maddison struck twice in seven first-half minutes before Pedro Porro rubbed salt in the wounds of his former club and Brennan Johnson completed the rout
  • City’s first defeat on home soil from open play since the eve of the 2022 World Cup leaves them still five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool

MANCHESTER: Manchester City crashed to a stunning fifth consecutive defeat as Tottenham won 4-0 at the Etihad to end the English champions’ 52-game unbeaten home run on Saturday.
James Maddison struck twice in seven first-half minutes before Pedro Porro rubbed salt in the wounds of his former club and Brennan Johnson completed the rout.
City’s first defeat on home soil from open play since the eve of the 2022 World Cup leaves them still five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who play their game in hand at bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday.
A great day for Tottenham eases the pressure on Ange Postecoglou as they climb into the top six.
City boss Pep Guardiola has committed himself to turning around the poorest run of his managerial career after extending his contract till 2027 this week.
But hopes his new deal could revitalize a City side, that have won an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles, proved short-lived.
Rodri paraded his Ballon d’Or trophy to the home fans before kick-off as his name was lit up across the Etihad pitch by firelight in an ostentatious show of support for the Spanish midfielder.
The 28-year-old is not expected to play again this season after suffering knee ligament damage in September and his absence has been at the heart of City’s demise.
Guardiola’s men did start strongly as Guglielmo Vicario denied Erling Haaland and the Norwegian had another shot deflected wide.
But the momentum of the match completely swung on Tottenham’s first serious attack after 13 minutes.
Dejan Kulusevski’s teasing cross picked out Maddison who applied a cool first-time finish.
Maddison had found himself frozen out of Postecoglou’s starting line-up in recent weeks and was keen to prove a point to his manager.
Son Heung-min’s inventive pass freed the England international inside the box and he dinked the ball over the advancing Ederson to double Spurs’ lead.
Inconsistency has been the scourge of Tottenham’s season so far.
A 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich before the international break saw Postecoglou’s men slip to 10th in the table.
But they have now twice won comprehensively in Manchester after a 3-0 win over United at Old Trafford.
Dominic Solanke was denied by a fine Ederson save with the chance to make it 3-0 before half-time.
Spurs, though, were not to be denied seven minutes into the second period.
The excellent Kulusevski crossed for Solanke and he patiently laid the ball back for Porro to blast home from close range.
Haaland clipped the bar from an almost impossible angle as City labored to find a response.
Instead, they were hit with one final sucker punch as Timo Werner eased past Kyle Walker and crossed for Johnson to tap home at the far post.
The one glimmer of hope for City may be the return of Kevin De Bruyne after a two-month injury absence as a late substitute.
However, Guardiola has to find solutions fast if his side’s title defense is to be maintained into the new year.
A daunting trip to face Liverpool at Anfield is next up in the Premier League, where City have not won in front of a crowd since 2003.


Odegaard inspires Arsenal to reignite title hopes

Updated 23 November 2024
Follow

Odegaard inspires Arsenal to reignite title hopes

  • Victory at the Emirates lifts them to 22 points, level with third-placed Chelsea
  • Captain Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since late August and showed what a huge miss he was for Arsenal

LONDON: Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team “flows in a different way” when Martin Odegaard is playing after the Gunners crushed Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Saturday to end their winless run.
Stunning strikes from Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey and a first Premier League goal for teenager Ethan Nwaneri gave Arsenal a first victory in five league games, reigniting their title challenge.
Arsenal, Premier League runners-up for the past two seasons, started the campaign strongly but their form dipped and they kicked off on Saturday nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
Victory at the Emirates lifts them to 22 points, level with third-placed Chelsea.
Arsenal took the lead in the 15th minute when Saka exchanged passes with Odegaard on the edge of the area before lashing a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
Captain Odegaard was making his first appearance at the Emirates since late August and showed what a huge miss he was for Arsenal during his two-month injury absence.
Time and again the Norwegian found space in the penalty area with his quick feet and he teed up Gabriel Jesus, who curled narrowly wide, before linking up with Saka again.
Partey doubled Arsenal’s lead early in the second half after collecting Saka’s pass 20 yards out and taking a touch, before curling his shot away from the dive of Matz Sels and inside the far post.
Seventeen-year-old Nwaneri tucked away Raheem Sterling’s cutback to wrap up an emphatic win in the 86th minute.
“I think we started really well,” Arteta told the BBC. “The sense I was getting in the last 48 hours after the international break, the boys coming together and were all at it.”
Speaking about Odegaard, who returned to action at Inter Milan earlier this month, he said: “It’s not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when he is playing.”
And he also had warm words for Nwaneri.
“He is the second-youngest (Premier League goalscorer) in our history,” Arteta said. “That’s a story in itself.
“He’s brave. You see the reaction of fans and they were singing ‘He’s one of our own’. I think we have to put brick by brick and make sure the cement doesn’t get dry. Hopefully we can build a beautiful thing with him.”


Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

Updated 23 November 2024
Follow

Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

  • Saudi team secures 6-5 victory over Egyptian opponents in final match

DUBAI: The Riyadh polo team have successfully defended their title as Chestertons MENA Polo in the Park champions for a second year after defeating their Cairo rivals in Dubai on Saturday.
The Saudi team secured a 6-5 victory over their Egyptian opponents in the final match, which was held at Dubai’s Desert Palm Polo Club.
Amr Zidan, chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation, awarded the championship trophy to Khalid Al-Omran, the Riyadh team captain.
Representing Riyadh alongside Al-Omran were Rayan Al-Ajaji, and professional players Santos Iriarte (Argentina) and Guillermo Li (Peru).
The tournament featured four teams: Riyadh, Cairo, London, and Dubai.
It was the second Chestersons Polo in the Park event to be held in the Middle East after having been held in London for over a decade.


Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

Updated 23 November 2024
Follow

Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

  • “I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach,” Djokovic said
  • Murray said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change”

BELGRADE: Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player’s coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January.
“I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach. I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we’ve shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers,” Djokovic said in a statement.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who retired from competitive tennis in August, said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals for the upcoming year.”

Djokovic posted a video on X of him and Murray during the Scotsman’s playing career, jokingly titled: “He never liked retirement anyway.”
The 37-year-old Serb has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, defeating Murray in four finals.
Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and has slipped to seventh in the world, although he did land the Olympic singles title in Paris.