Ons Jabeur’s 2025 season has been a real roller coaster. She made the quarterfinals at Brisbane International, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Berlin. In other tournaments, though, she struggled to get past the early rounds—including the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. Not long ago, she ranked World No. 2 and made it to the Wimbledon finals twice—in 2022 and 2023—and the US Open final in 2022. For the Tunisian star, it’s a tough reality to accept. She’s finding it hard to come to terms with this stretch.

After her Wimbledon exit, Ons was heartbroken. Down a set to Viktoriya Tomova, she had to withdraw because of injury while trailing 0-2 in the second. Fans were devastated and sent her many messages of support. But Ons opened up about her feelings on social media, sharing a raw, emotional post. She wrote, “For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges. But deep down, I haven’t truly felt happy on the court for some time now.”

Her incredible skill once made her the darling of the tennis world. Last year brought struggles—injuries and tournament withdrawals kept her from her best. She hasn’t won a title since Ningbo in 2023. That’s why Ons Jabeur stands by her decision. “Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now, I feel it’s time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal, and to rediscover the joy of simply living. Thank you to all my fans for understanding. Your support and love mean the world to me. I carry it with me always,” she added.

This week, the 30-year-old withdrew from the Canadian Open in Montreal. Suzan Lamens steps into her spot in the main draw. With recent absences, Jabeur’s ranking took a fall—she’s down 12 spots to World No. 71, her lowest since January 2020.

Hard to believe there was a time before her breakthrough, with no Grand Slam quarterfinals on her resumé. Now, she’s a two-time Wimbledon finalist and a US Open runner-up. Ultimately, Ons knows what’s best for her right now. Tennis still matters deeply to her. She made it clear: “Even while I’m away from the court, I’ll continue to stay close and connected in different ways, and share this journey with you all.” She’s not alone, either.

Alongside Jabeur, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 10 Paula Badosa, and No. 44 Sonay Kartal have all decided to skip the Omnium Banque Nationale WTA 1000. They each cited fatigue and injuries as their reasons. Ons has been outspoken about those challenges before, so her decision comes as no surprise.

Ons Jabeur shares her concerns toward hectic tennis schedule

Ons Jabeur’s decision during last year’s Paris Olympics made waves in the tennis world. The former world No. 2 and three-time major finalist wasn’t heading to the Games—her knee simply wouldn’t let her. She wasn’t alone in switching from clay to hard courts; Aryna Sabalenka and Emma Raducanu also opted for the Citi Open instead.

Speaking ahead of her campaign in Washington, D.C., Jabeur opened up about the tricky scheduling, saying, “I didn’t play the Olympics because of the surface changes. Since I have knee problems, it would be a very tough decision to take.” She added, “It would probably make me not be able to play for the rest of the season. I’m managing my knee so much – probably people don’t know what’s happening on the inside.” Clearly, the Olympic clay didn’t suit her body’s needs.

The back-to-back nature of the summer events made things even more complicated. Action in D.C. was immediately followed by the Canadian Open across Montreal and Toronto, just two days after the Olympic tennis concluded in Paris. “It was a very tough decision not to go to the Olympics – but I’m very happy to be here,” Jabeur shared. “I haven’t played a lot of matches this year. I basically skipped the beginning of the year. I didn’t want to make the same kind of mistakes and go and not be 100%. If I didn’t feel like going there and win the medal, why go in the first place?”

Jabeur’s injury woes didn’t stop there — she was forced to retire from the 2024 US Open due to a shoulder injury and eventually cut her season short. She made her return at the 2025 Australian Open but fell in the third round. Later, she battled a leg injury at Miami. These setbacks, along with her challenges on return, saw her rankings slide all the way down to No. 59, a far cry from her career-high of No. 2 in 2022.

Now, the tennis world watches and waits—maybe this break is just what she needs to reignite her amazing run. What’s your take? Share it in the comments!