Joy! Jabeur officially announces her pregnancy

As the first African player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam women's singles final, Jabeur's latest public appearance was probably at this year's WTA Finals group stage, where she appeared as a surprise guest during the Gauff vs. Paolini match.

So when did Jabeur last compete on the tour? It was at the end of June this year, during the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. She retired in the first round while trailing 6-7, 0-2 against Tomova, and since then she has been on an extended break without participating in any professional events. Currently, she is ranked 79th in the world, far from her career-high ranking of number two.

Starting tennis at age three and turning professional in 2010, Jabeur showed remarkable talent in her junior years. In 2010, she reached the girls' singles final at the French Open but lost to Ukrainian player Svitolina. However, she returned the next year to win the same event by defeating Puig, becoming the first Arab woman to claim a junior Grand Slam title.

After turning pro, Jabeur made her main draw debut at the 2017 French Open as a lucky loser. She performed well on the clay court where she had previously won as a junior, defeating Anna Bogdan in the first round for her first Grand Slam main draw singles win. She then beat Cibulkova in straight sets in the second round, becoming the first Arab woman to reach the round of 32 at a Grand Slam (she lost to Bacsinszky in the third round).

It is evident that Jabeur has been making history for her country. In Tunisia and across the Arab world, tennis has traditionally lacked prominence, but with Jabeur’s rise, she has written a new chapter in the sport's history.

In the 2018 season, Jabeur reached a world ranking of 62, surpassing the highest ranking previously held by an Arab female player. At the 2020 Australian Open, she reached the women's singles quarterfinals, defeating players including China’s Wang Qiang, becoming the first Arab player to achieve this since 2004. Her world ranking continued to improve that year.

At the 2021 Birmingham Classic, Jabeur won the title, becoming the first Arab woman to claim a WTA singles championship. By October that year, her world ranking had climbed to eighth.

The 2022 season was undoubtedly Jabeur’s most outstanding year. She won her second career title in Madrid (WTA 1000) and her third in Berlin, and reached the women's singles finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, though she was defeated by Leylah Fernandez and Iga Swiatek, respectively.

In recent seasons, Jabeur has struggled with injuries causing interruptions in her play. However, she recently shared good news with fans, revealing that her break is due to pregnancy, with her child expected to be born in April next year. Congratulations to Jabeur! We look forward to her returning to the tennis world after embracing this new chapter in life.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Barbie)