Ons Jabeur opts for a break from tennis after Wimbledon to 'rediscover the joy of simply living'

Ons Jabeur is taking a hiatus from the women’s tennis tour, with the three-time major runner-up saying Thursday she wants to “rediscover the joy of simply living.”

Once ranked No 2 on the WTA Tour, Jabeur has battled injuries in recent years and has fallen to her current No 71. The 30-year-old from Tunisia retired because of difficulty breathing during her first-round match at Wimbledon, where she reached the final in 2022 and 2023, and won’t be playing as the hard-court swing begins.

“For the past two years, I’ve been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges,” Jabeur wrote on Instagram. “But deep down, I haven’t felt truly happy on the court for some time now.

More from Tennis

Why Novak Djokovic’s tennis calendar is under scrutiny as experts fear he could be left behind Federer India's historic tennis win: Sumit Nagal beats Henry Bernet as India reach Davis Cup qualifiers for first time

“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.”

Jabeur also was the US Open runner-up in 2022, becoming the first woman since Serena Williams in 2019 to reach the final at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows in the same year. She fell short of becoming the first African or Arab woman to win a Grand Slam title in the professional era, but she climbed to No 2 in the WTA rankings the next week.

She is 15-15 this year after her 2024 season was cut short by a shoulder injury, as she played just once after Wimbledon.

Jabeur, popular with other players and fans, thanked the fans in her post.

“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 wrote.