Jabeur digs deep

the game of day six, came in the women’s draw, where popular Tunsian fifth seed Ons Jabeur overcame a courageous display by injured opponent Marie Bouzkova to advance.

Jabeur said she was happy to get through a tense clash with Bouzkova yesterday after the fifth seed capitalised on her ailing opponent’s limited movement to seal a comeback victory.

“I was trying to make her move as much as possible. I know that’s not cool, but I wanted to win,” said Jabeur, who overcame her own early struggles due to flu and prevailed 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3 after nearly three hours.

The Tunisian told a press conference she was not initially sure how serious Bouzkova’s injury was.

“I was trying to observe her a lot, try to see where she was hurt,” Jabeur said.

“I felt like doing dropshots on her forehand. I did on both, but felt like the forehand side was the side that bothered her a lot. I was tense at times. I couldn’t do my shots.

“I really focussed on her (more) than on myself. I feel I even forgot that I wasn’t feeling that well. I’m glad I got through this. It’s never easy playing someone injured. It really gets into your head.”

Jabeur, seeking her first Grand Slam title, said she will need to work on her serve ahead of a fourth-round meeting with China’s Zheng Qinwen.

Elsewhere, Aryna Sabalenka maintained her dominant start demolishing France’s Clara Burel 61, 6-1. Sabalenka will play Russia’s Daria Kasatkina today in the last 16.

Madison Keys will play compatriot Jessica Pegula in the last 16 with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Russian’s Liudmila Samsonova.

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova dismantled Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 6-1 and will play US youngster Peyton Stearns in the next round.

China’s Zheng meanwhile matched her best result at a Grand Slam by rallying to beat Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. – AFP/Reuters