Ons Jabeur's popularity among her fellow WTA players has been demonstrated after they voted for the Tunisian to receive two awards.
The news might boost Jabeur ahead of the 2025 season after she endured challenges throughout 2024, contrasting with her many successes throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Jabeur was a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2022. She took the opening set against Elena Rybakina in the Wimbledon final, but the Kazakhstani stormed back impressively to triumph in three sets.
That tournament established Jabeur as a crowd favorite. That was demonstrated by the vocal backing she received weeks later at the 2022 US Open, where she sealed back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
Unfortunately for her fans, Jabeur fell in straight sets to Iga Swiatek, who dominated women's tennis in 2022. However, the Tunisian was still nominated for the WTA Player of the Year award because of her impressive efforts.
The most brutal of Jabeur's three Grand Slam final losses was at last year's Wimbledon. She started as a heavy favorite against Marketa Vondrousova but could not find her best tennis in a straight sets loss.
That setback seemed to impact Jabeur mentally in 2024. The Tunisian was a shadow of the player who thrilled fans with her unique playing style in 2022 and 2023, struggling for consistency throughout the year.
Jabeur was also hampered by knee and shoulder injuries in 2024. After attempting to manage the issue for several months, the three-time Grand Slam runner-up ended her season early and had shoulder surgery.
Although Jabeur's attempts to avoid missing tournaments by playing through the pain barrier were understandable, she later admitted that not taking time out sooner was a mistake to be learned from.
Many players might become embittered after going from so close to winning a Grand Slam to declining results and injury issues. Yet, that is not in Jabuer's makeup. She is among the most well-liked people on the WTA or ATP Tour.
That reality has been shown by Jabeur's receiving two end-of-season awards. Both honors were decided by other players' votes, showing how popular the Tunisian is among her peers.
The Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award was given in recognition of Jabeur’s gracious and considerate manner, support for fair play, and respect for others on and off the court, a ringing endorsement of how she treats fellow players.
Jabeur also received the Peachy Kellmeyer Player Service Award. Introduced in 1977, it celebrates the outstanding support an individual gives to her fellow players and other initiatives on behalf of the wider player community.
An example of Jabeur standing up for players lower-ranked than her was when she wrote a letter about and publicly criticized the International Tennis Federation's decision to cancel tournaments in Tunisia.
While success is important for all athletes, being a good role model also counts in the legacy players leave behind. That is why Rafael Nadal said during his retirement ceremony at last month's Davis Cup Finals that he hopes to be remembered as a good person.