World no. 2 Jabeur overcomes slow start to move past Zidansek in Melbourne

Ons Jabeur played against world no. 98 Tamara Zidansek in the first round of the 2023 Australian Open and she certainly spent more on the court than she expected.

The Tunisian is one of the favourites at the first major of the season, alongside likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. In 2022, Jabeur played two Grand Slam finals, and she will want to extend her success at majors also to Australia.

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The Slovenian surprised Jabeur already in the first game as she got an early break. However, the Tunisian then won four consecutive games to build a comfortable 4-1 lead in the first set.

Yet, that was not enough as Zidansek fought back to make it 4-4. World no. 2 then had a set point in the tenth game, but after she couldn't use it, a tie-break had to decide the set. Zidansek had three set points, but Jabeur ultimately won the tie-break 10-8, securing the first set.

In the second set, fans in Melbourne waited until the eighth game before seeing the first break point. It was the Slovenian who had it, and she used it to grab a 5-3 lead.

She would then lose it in the very next game, despite having a set point, but she would strike once again on her opponent's serve to win the second set 6-4.

The third set was a one-woman story. Jabeur lost the first game, but then never looked back as she lost only five more points in the match to win it 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-1 in two hours and 19 minutes.

Up next, Jabeur will play against winner of the match between Marketa Vondrousova and Alison Riske.

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