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[ad_1] LOS ANGELES: Anastasia Potapova surprised top-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia to reach the WTA San Diego Open quarterfinals on Wednesday as second-seeded Caroline Garcia made it safely through. Potapova, ranked 27th in the world, said patience was the key to her 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over world number seven Jabeur, who reached her third Grand Slam final at Wimbledon this year. "Ons is very tough to play," said Potapova , who had edged Alycia Parks in three sets in the first round as Jabeur enjoyed a first-round bye. "She is truly one of the best in the world and with her style it's very uncomfortable. She likes to mix it up a lot, and actually I'm really proud of myself today that I was able to stay calm, focused and just do what I've got to do." Jabeur was coming off a fourth-round showing at the US Open, where she battled illness in the opening rounds. Potapova notched her sixth career victory over a top-10 player and lined up a quar

[ad_1] LONDON: Marketa Vondrousova admitted even she was stunned by her historic Wimbledon triumph as the injury-plagued Czech became the first unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era. Vondrousova upset the odds in Saturday's final on Centre Court as she powered to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Tunisian sixth seed Ons Jabeur. The 24-year-old clinched an unexpected maiden Grand Slam title at the second attempt after losing to Ash Barty in the 2019 French Open final. "After everything I have been through, I had a cast last time, it's amazing I can stand here and hold this trophy," said Vondrousova, who was sidelined with a wrist injury in 2022. "I don't know how I've done it. Tennis is crazy." Vondrousova joins Jana Novotna and Petra Kvitova as the only Czech women to win a Wimbledon title. She is just the ninth unseeded champion at a Grand Slam tournament. Vondrousova's triumph completed a remarkable comeback after a rash o

[ad_1] LONDON: Tearful Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur described her third defeat in a Grand Slam final as the "most painful" of her career as she vowed to learn from the tennis greats who were also jinxed at the majors. World number six Jabeur was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova on Saturday, one year after she lost the Wimbledon final to Elena Rybakina. More pain followed at the US Open later in the year where she was runner-up again, this time to Iga Swiatek. The 28-year-old is only the eighth woman to lose her first three Grand Slam finals. However, she can take comfort from knowing that the likes of Chris Evert, Kim Clijsters and Simona Halep also suffered the same fate before going on to capture Grand Slam titles. "It will be tough to speak. I am going to look ugly in the photos so that's not going to help," said Jabeur after again being thwarted in her bid to become the first Arab or African woman to win a Grand Slam sing

[ad_1] LONDON: Ons Jabeur hopes it will be third time lucky when she attempts to become the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon on Saturday. The 28-year-old Tunisian takes on Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, hoping to go one better than last year when she was defeated by Elena Rybakina in the final at the All England Club and lost to world number one Iga Swiatek at the US Open later in the year. Unlike her two final losses at the majors, this time world number six Jabeur will start as the favourite against the left-handed Vondrousova, the first unseeded woman in the Wimbledon final in 60 years. She has had a tough run to Saturday's championship match, beating two-time former winner Petra Kvitova in the last 16, third seed Rybakina in the quarter-final and then coming from a set down to knock out second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals. By doing so she became the first woman to defeat three top-10 players at Wimb

[ad_1] LONDON: Ons Jabeur says she wants to make history for Tunisia and Africa by winning a Grand Slam title after reaching her second successive Wimbledon final on Thursday. The sixth seed, a beaten finalist last year, powered back from a set and 4-2 down to beat world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-3. Jabeur, who has now fought back three times from dropping the first set at this year's tournament, will face unseeded Czech player Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 42nd, in Saturday's final. The Tunisian trailblazer last year became the first African and Arab woman in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. The 28-year-old has admitted she cannot bear to watch the video of last year's final, which she lost to Elena Rybakina after winning the first set. Jabeur, who also lost in the US Open final in 2022, said the Tunisian fans were always behind her, whatever her results. "The good thing about those people, they always

[ad_1] LONDON: Carlos Alcaraz stayed on track for a Wimbledon title showdown against defending champion Novak Djokovic on Wednesday as Ons Jabeur avenged her painful defeat in last year's final. Spanish world number one Alcaraz was in imperious form as he swept aside his friend Holger Rune 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against Daniil Medvedev. Alcaraz faced just one break point in the entire quarter-final, which he snuffed out, hitting 35 winners against 13 unforced errors. "Honestly, it is amazing for me," said Alcaraz . "It's been a dream since I started playing tennis." The US Open champion, who now has 10 straight wins on grass, was delighted with his performance against his fellow 20-year-old. "I am playing at a great level. I didn't expect to play a great level on this surface," he said. "For me, it is crazy." He said he found it tough at the beginning of the match, especially with Rune on the other s