Ons Jabeur's unlucky 2024 season continued to be so, as an injury forced her to retire from yet another event, this time the 2024 Cincinnati Open.
The Tunisian has never been the healthiest player, struggling with various types of injuries. Even when she was healthy for the most part, Jabeur sometimes dealt with minor issues.
It's just been an area where she was rarely at her peak physically. It wasn't for a lack of training. Sometimes, some players are just unlucky like that.
The healthiest she's been was probably around 2021 and 2022 when she played a lot of matches and generally played well. She nearly won 50 matches in both seasons and reached the Grand Slam finals.
That's not been the case this year, as there has been quite a drop-off both in form and in health for the Tunisian. She has managed only 30 matches so far this year and is unlikely to finish the year with more than 50 matches, which would be a first since 2015.
She played fewer than 50 matches during the pandemic-impacted season, but the implications of why that happened are clear. Jabeur's recent health struggles are injury-related.
She spent much of this year managing a knee issue, which is still present, but this recent injury is not related to the knee. It's actually shoulder-related problem, and she missed the Citi Open in Washington because of it.
Jabeur played at the 2024 Canadian Open in Toronto but lost easily to Naomi Osaka, and playing that match proved to be a mistake. Jabeur wasn't ready to play, but she did, and she aggravated the existing shoulder injury, which was the last thing she needed right now.
The US Open is 14 days away, and she's now in a race against time to try and recover in time to play at the event where she stood in the final two years ago.
Jabeur provided an update on her condition on social media, explaining that she won't be playing in Cincinnati because her condition doesn't allow it.
"Dear All, I regret to inform you that, due to an aggravated shoulder injury, I will be unable to participate at the Cincinnati Open this year. Despite my best efforts to recover in time, playing in Toronto did not help, my current condition does not allow me to compete at the level required. I am doing all my best to recover for the upcoming US Open in New York. Hugs Ons."
Missing the US Open would be devastating for Jabeur, and not only because it's a Grand Slam. This year, the event will be switching to lighter tennis balls, the same ones that were last used in 2022 when she made the final.
That suits her game a bit better than some other players, like Aryna Sabalenka, who prefers heavier balls. It also should put less stress on her shoulder, so hopefully, the two weeks until the event and the lighter balls will allow her to play at the last major of the season.
0 Comments