The recent Ningbo WTA champion, Ons Jabeur, debuted with victory at the WTA 1000 in Beijing with a great performance against Krueger. The current world number 7 also spoke about the controversy with performance byes that has flooded the circuit in recent days. The Tunisian was confused with the WTA rules.
-Earn points for the WTA Finals
“I wasn’t supposed to play in Ningbo. I didn’t have good results in San Diego and Guadalajara and I thought that maybe if I finished early, I would fly to China and see if I could get a wild card. I wanted to go to Tokyo, but I didn’t have a visa. So it was a last minute decision. The race is the race, so I’m trying to stay as far away as I can,” he declared. Our Jabeur in it Beijing WTA.
-About the controversy of performance byes
“The rules on performance byes are really confusing. For me, I would have liked to have a bye performance for the Ningbo tournament. If it is allowed to give a tournament 500 to a 1000, then it is allowed to give it from a 250 to a 1000. I think the calendar should be better. We shouldn’t have a tournament in Mexico, then Tokyo and then from Tokyo to here. I feel like, if they’re going to give performance byes, maybe they should keep the byes normal and explain the rules better for sure. I don’t think we had any explanation for that. I thought I had a bye in Ningbo to begin with and I didn’t. It’s frustrating. I understand Elena (Rybakina)’s point and I hope we can find a solution with the WTA and prevent this from happening. Definitely clarify the rules once and for all.”
-What is the biggest challenge for a top 10 player?
“You can’t lose any game being a top-level player. Everyone is watching and that’s the bad thing. I think being a top player comes with some pressure. People expect you, not only people outside, but also people around you expect you to perform in a certain way, even I expect to perform in a certain way and keep the level high, prove to myself that I am among the 10 top.
Before I think it was a completely different vision for me. I think I was kind of trying to get in there. I knew I had the level to do it, but maybe I wasn’t working hard enough for it. At the time I thought I was doing it, but I’m looking at the hard work I was doing and I think it changes a little. Maybe before I wasn’t ready to be in this position because now I feel like I am because I worked on myself when it comes to tennis, physically and mentally. Fighting and going through those difficult times taught me to be stronger, without a doubt.”
-About Coco Gauff and her victory at the US Open
“I was very happy for her. I think everyone knew it, but I said I would win a Grand Slam sooner or later. I think she is going to win many more. She is a great athlete and a great person on and off the court. Well, we don’t like it so much on the court when she hits winners. I wish she could win many more Grand Slams after I win mine.”
2023-10-02 20:30:22
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