Ons Jabeur's Stuttgart run ended in tears as a calf injury forced her to retire from the semifinals against Iga Swiatek.
On Saturday, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix witnessed a heartrending moment as Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur was compelled to retire from her semifinal match against Iga Swiatek. The unfortunate turn of events occurred when Jabeur, visibly in pain, had to bow out due to a sudden calf injury.
The match saw Swiatek leading 3-0 in the opening set when Jabeur's injury became unplayable, ultimately leading to her withdrawal. After the match, an emotional Jabeur took the time to address the crowd and apologize for her inability to continue the match.
She expressed her disappointment and confusion over the unexpected injury, while also acknowledging the excitement of playing against the world no. 1. Jabeur graciously thanked the audience for their support and promised to make a comeback in Stuttgart at the prestigious WTA 500 event next season.
"I'm sorry guys I really tried, it's just, for a point, I don't know what happened. I was really excited to play Iga today. It's always fun matchup between us and seeing that the stadium was full, I just really appreciate it and I wish her the best of luck for the finals."
"I'm sorry guys, I really tried to run but Iga never makes it easy. So, thank you guys for coming and hopefully next time I come back to Stuttgart."
Jabeur will now want to make sure to recover in time for the upcoming Roland Garros and then an important part of the season will follow for her as she reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open last year.