Ons Jabeur produced a stunning performance to defeat previous Madrid Open winner Simona Halep in the 2022 quarter-final, but the Tunisian player admitted to some nerves during the contest.
Jabeur thoroughly outplayed Halep in the Madrid Open quarter-final clash on Wednesday as the number eight seed bested her opponent with a 6-3, 6-2 victory. The contest lasted just over an hour as Jabeur booked her place in the final four of the WTA 1000 event.
In addition, the Tunisian's victory leaves her as the only remaining Top-10-ranked player in the competition. Several high-profile players and former Madrid Open champions have also fallen at the competition, meaning a first-time winner of the event will be crowned later this week.
There were some shocks as Jabeur brushed aside Halep, but the 27-year-old's recent form suggested an upset was perhaps on the cards. Jabeur came into the quarter-final with just two losses in her previous 11 matches, and the Tunisian also made her first final of 2022 at the Charleston Open in April.
Ultimately, the result means Jabeur will advance to just her second WTA 1000 semifinal to date after she made the final four at Indian Wells in 2021.
While the Tunisian player seemed in control, she said post-match that she was not always composed, knowing a player of Halep's quality was awaiting at the opposite end of the court.
"To be honest with you, I was really stressed the whole match, knowing Simona, knowing that she can come back at every time. But I knew I had to win this game [at 3-2] no matter what."
"I know I made like a lot of dropshots in this game. But it was a crazy point, especially at 40-30 where I could finish the point, but I didn't know if I took the risk and miss it or what should I do?"
"I felt like she played really well, and I'm impressed with the fact I didn't focus on that point, because if I really was frustrated, I could have lost the game. But happy that I kept it cool and won that game, because it was, I think, the game of the set."
Jabeur will be hopeful of overcoming Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semi-final following a turbulent start to the year. A persistent back injury forced the 27-year-old to pull out of the Australian Open, and she later missed a month of tennis between January and February.
But, she heads into her final four match at the Madrid Open with a 10-2 record on clay this season, possibly providing enough momentum to reach her first WTA 1000 final of 2022.