MADRID OPEN: HOW JABEUR MADE HISTORY FOR ARAB AND AFRICAN CONTINENT

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur has won her second career title defeating American Jessica Pegula in the Madrid Open final to become the first Arab to win the Madrid Masters Tournament.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) winner in Birmingham, UK last year who made her debut in Junior Grand Slam tournament at the US Open in 2009 said after the match,

“I’m not just playing for myself….I play for my country, for the Arab world, for the African continent.”

The tennis star of the “moment” Jabeur, obviously is giving Tunisians a reason to smile as her popularity has risen to global admiration that she is presently dubbed the “Minister of Happiness” in her home country.

Born in Ksar Hellal, a small town in northeastern Tunisia, won the French Open Junior Grand Slam title in 2011 to become the first Arab woman to win Junior Grand Slam title at a teenage age of 16. She expressed how pressured she was before the final,

“I honestly still can’t believe it. I went through a roller coaster of emotions during the past few days, just after the semi-final. I was really stressed trying to breathe.

“I really didn’t want to get disappointed again. I thought my heart was going out chest today. I’m very happy and trying to realize that I won today really.” Jabeur, said.

The 27 year old, second Arab woman to break into the world’s top 100 and presently highest ranked from the region history, will shift her focus to Roland Garros to further her African and Arab “Pride”. Her next quest, obviously, could shock the world with the trophy as her rising profile is already attracting more sponsors.