LONDON — Ons Jabeur
said Monday she “cannot
wait” to team up with
Serena Williams as the American star prepares to return
to tennis at the Eastbourne International after nearly a year away.
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Williams, a 23-year-time
Grand Slam singles
champion, was last week handed a singles wildcard entry to Wimbledon, which
starts next Monday.
The 40-year-old has not played since suffering an
injury during her first-round match at Wimbledon 12 months ago, plummeting to
1,204th in the world rankings.
The seven-time
Wimbledon singles champion is set to
step up preparations for the All England Club by playing doubles in the
grass-court tournament at Eastbourne, but her scheduled practice session on Monday
was cancelled.
Tunisia’s Jabeur and Williams are expected to begin
their doubles campaign on Tuesday against
Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie
Bouzkova.
“I’m a good secret keeper,” said new world number
three Jabeur, fresh from winning on grass in Berlin on Sunday. “Yes, I’ve known
before the French Open.”
“Many players were jealous because I’m playing with
her. Honestly, Serena is Serena. She is a legend and always will be.”
“The fact that she returned and I get to be part of
her journey, it’s really unbelievable.”
Jabeur was due to play singles at
Eastbourne but
after her exploits in Germany she will now only be involved in the doubles.
She said she did not need a “second” to consider
teaming up with the American.
“She’s such an inspiration and the fact that we’re
playing doubles together, it’s huge news for me and it’s unbelievable,” she
said.
“I honestly never expected her to pick me or even to
play doubles after a long time, but I feel like I’m going way back and all the
memories of watching her winning a lot of Grand Slams. I hope it’s not going to
make me too nervous, standing next to her.”
Wimbledon is widely considered Williams’s best
chance of claiming a 24th Grand Slam singles crown to equal Margaret Court’s
all-time record.
But last year’s Wimbledon finalist
Karolina Pliskova
warned the veteran that her time away from the court would make any hopes of a
good run at the All England Club tough.
“I think it will be difficult ... for her no matter
which kind of player she is because this is a thing where you still need some
time,” she said.
“But of course, she is an amazing player, she
achieved so much and still a number of players will be super scared to play
her. This is her advantage but let’s see the level. I cannot really say.”
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