Jabeur is keen to learn from Williams in Eastbourne doubles
Ons Jabeur is eager to learn from Serena Williams when they pair up for doubles at the Rothesay International Eastbourne, but the 23-time grand-slam champion did cancel her scheduled on-site practice session yesterday.
The40-year-oldcaughtthe tennis world cold on Tuesday when a return to Wimbledon wasunexpectedlyannounced after she had been awarded a wild card despite not playing since she injured her right leg at SW19 last summer.
Williams is set to step up preparations for the All England Club by playing in Eastbourne, but is yet to step foot insideDevonshireParkhaving trained at a local club over the weekend while her planned on-site practice was called off at 30 minutes notice.
Jabeur and the American great are expected to begin their doubles campaign against Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova.
“I’m a good secret keeper! Yes, I’ve known before the French Open,” new world number three Jabeur revealed. “Many players were jealous because I’m playing with her. Honestly, Serena is Serena. She is a legend and always will be.
“Thefactthatshereturned and I get to be part of her journey, it’s really unbelievable.
She did a lot for our sport and I really respect her, respect her story, respect everything she’s been through.
“I hope I can learn even like two per cent from it. Now I’m joking with other doubles players, I was like, if you have minus 20 grand slams, don’t even ask me to play doubles with you any more.”
Jabeur’s Bett1 Open success only increased the belief she is one of the leading contenders to win at Wimbledon this year after she made the quarter-finals in 2021.
The Tunisian was set to playsinglesatEastbournebut afterherexploitsinGermany she will now only be involved inthedoublesattheWTA500 event.
ItwasEricHechtman,who is set to coach Williams in the wake of her split from Patrick Mouratoglou, that first made contact over the potential doubles partnership last month. “Not a second to think about it. It’s an obvious yes,” Jabeur insisted.
“But I cannot wait to see her, I haven’t seen her yet. Hopefully we will get together and talk a little bit and see, because I’m really pumped. I want to win this doubles and whynotwinthetitlehere,you know?”